Path of a Wizard from Alvarez
by Warmachine375
Summary: Hailing from the Alvarez Empire, Valeria Autumn, August's former apprentice, finds herself in Fiore during her soul-searching journey and eventually joining Fairy Tail, the country's strongest guild in Ishgar being targeted and sought for its greatest secret by her country: Lumen Histoire. For whom will she fight for in her path, her friends or her country? I own nothing but my OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello friends, my name is Warmachine375 and today I made a Fairy Tail fanfic story titled "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" that I came up with from inside my head. Since the Alvarez Empire debuted in its current arc after Tartarus, it got me an idea on what if a wizard from the massive military superpower nation from the West were to be in Fiore and join in the adventures of Fairy Tail?**

 **Oneshot just in case. ;)**

 **Summary:** **Hailing from the Alvarez Empire, Valeria Autumn, August's former apprentice, finds herself in Fiore during her soul-searching journey and eventually joining Fairy Tail, the country's strongest guild in Ishgar being targeted and sought for its greatest secret by her country: Lumen Histoire. For whom will she fight for in her path, her friends or her country? I own nothing but my OC.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters. They respectively belong to Hiro Mashima, the author of the manga series. Same goes for A-1 Animation Studios and FUNimation for the old anime adaptation that I sorely missed and still need of accepting the current incarnation from 2014-2015.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D**

* * *

Chapter 1

 _In the port town of Hargeon, Kingdom of Fiore_

At the small fishing port town of Hargeon with a harbor in the Kingdom of Fiore where the townsfolk, fishermen, traders, and tourists alike gather there as they go about in their everyday lives and business of their own where normal livelihood on fishing thrives prosperously there more than Magic as there's only one Magic store just for traveling Mages passing by.

Among the large crowd of many people, either of them are Mages and non-Mages venturing around town is a teenage girl dressed in a stereotypical wizard/witch garb with a pointed hat and a staff in her hand along with a lightweight looking handbag she carries and a sword sheathed at her side.

It's almost as if she came out literally from the fantasy stories for children.

She is a beautiful woman with a hetero-chromatic set of red and blue eyes, a fairly moderate sized chest of C-cup and a long orange hair with white bangs and wears a long, billowing, light-colored robe with plain edges on its bottom portion that covered her modest blue dress and intricately designed linings on the sleeves alongside a long skirt that covered down to her legs. She keeps this robe tied together with a belt made of a seemingly rope-like material. She also wears a simple grey-colored cape that kept in its place by a long cloth tied around it and her neck and held fast by a spherical shaped clip. She completes this outfit with a tilt-pointed hat attached with a belt on her head, black boots and an elaborate gnarled wooden staff with a large aqua orb at its center.

But this is no ordinary Mage around the countryside of Fiore and she is not even from here.

The young woman's name is Valeria Autumn and she hailed from the Alvarez Empire, a colossal military superpower country located on Alakitasia, the Western Continent that spanned a large portion of landmass neighboring the Ishgar the Eastern Continent which she happens to be here in the Kingdom of Fiore, one of the continent's countries.

And also she is an apprentice or rather former apprentice of August, whose epithet is the Magic King due to his mastery of countless Magics in the world, of the Spriggan 12, an elite unit of extremely skilled and powerful Mages serving as the personal guard of Emperor Spriggan dubbed as the 'Shields of Spriggan' and the generals of the military in the Alvarez Empire.

History tells of her country that was founded at an unspecified time period by the man who calls himself Spriggan, who had subjugated 730 guilds of Alakitasia and absorbed more and more guilds and nations of the Western Continent by martial force and crowned himself Emperor of the most powerful country formed in Earth Land. In year X781, Alvarez attempted to wage war on Ishgar's countries in a bid to capture a certain guild's most sacred artifact for their unknown uses due to some members of the Spriggan 12 not following the orders of the monarch to stay away from the Eastern Continent, but were thought to have halted their invasion after being subjected to the might of Etherion and threatened with Face by the Magic Council. However, the emperor had quelled the unsanctioned war himself, and in the year X783, the empire and the countries of Ishgar have severed all diplomatic relations and no further contact with each other has been made since then.

As for her, Valeria Autumn was born in the middle of the autumn season just before winter came that gave her last name by her beloved parents in a small humble farming village from one of the breadbasket regions of the Alakitasia Continent under the Alvarez Empire. At a young age, Valeria was enamored with tales of Mages and Magic from and often dreamed to become a Mage some day.

Eventually on that fateful event, her magical talent of aptitude and potential was discovered by August after sensing such power from Valeria during his trip away from the capital and she was sent to the capital city of Vistarion with him by the older and wise Shield of Spriggan's permission and consent from her parents and became his apprentice.

Under pressure by the expectations of her mentor and the watchful eye of some of the other members of the Spriggan 12 and the citizenry of Vistarion, Valeria struggled to keep her focus on her Magical studies of every kind from the man who is rumored to possess the abilities to control every single element of Magic there is, even being able to control more types of Magic than the Black Wizard Zeref himself is able to, but she managed to pull it off with relative ease.

Trained and tutored by the Magic King himself, Valeria was a talented and promising prodigy with mastery of Magics and growing power although she wasn't even in the level of her mentor who clearly has a particularly terrifying amount of Magic Power, even going beyond what the other members of the Spriggan 12 normally have at their disposal yet but the young woman was powerful enough to be a bit far above the level of power of the Mages and Magic soldiers serving in the respective squads of the Shields of Spriggan they work under their superiors, namely Bakel of the Ajeel Squad whose formidable strength lies in his physical might and Marin Hollow of the Brandish Squad whose power of Rules of the Area lies in controlling and disabling Spatial Magic at his whim.

Unlike in Ishgar where the Magic Council had placed too many restrictions laws and decrees on its Mages that severely held back their full potential out of fear and paranoia, the Alvarez Empire holds no restriction on limiting its Mages continually growing their power without holding back so long as it adds the already formidable strength of its powerful military that already possessed the capacity of overrun the entire neighboring continent if the word of Emperor Spriggan commands them to.

Some of her mentor's comrades, mainly Ajeel Ramal the Desert King, once joked in a teasing manner that Valeria might eventually replace August as a member of the Spriggan 12 and inherit his title as the 'Magic Queen' in the future someday, given to the fact of the man who spent years mastering all kinds of Magic while Dimaria Yesta, the Valkyrie, even joined in the fun that Valeria might eventually grow up into an old granny with wrinkles on her face a decade later in the path to study Magic just like her mentor much to the girl's utter embarrassment.

Aside from learning the many arts of Magic by her mentor, Valeria learned some several tips of sword fighting along with building up physical strength by Dimaria who finds this as amusing to teach her just to kill her boredom, and some few lessons of hand-to-hand combat by Jacob Lessio, the master at the art of assassination, who often advised her that sometimes even a classic Mage can be as deadly as any modern Mage when it comes with fists and weapons during sparring sessions.

Strangers and acquaintances often confuse Valeria's independence and strength of spirit for a rash personality and headstrong disposition along with a carefree nature which was often blamed on Ajeel in his dismay mostly by Invel the Winter General who tried to instill the young woman of taking rules and regulations seriously to a certain extent at least along with tactics and strategies, and the importance of official paperwork and politics.

However, the truth of the matter is that she has developed an uncanny ability to read people and identify their underlying motives and intentions within their words they speak. A trait that was noticed by Wahl Icht the Adjudicator himself in his observation of Valeria Autumn during her time at Vistarion. Brandish μ the Country Demolisher, who had known August as a little girl and grown up alongside the young woman, also seemed to notice it too but disliked Valeria's fashion sense she took after her mentor.

Despite not being able to meet Emperor Spriggan who was far away in solitude and not a man of politics that left ministers and generals to run the Alvarez Empire, Valeria admired the monarch who united all of Alakitasia into one powerful country that brought great peace, prosperity and equality in laws and economy along with the massive military strength for years which every citizen adored and loved him regardless of his unemotional face he put up whenever he returns to the capital according to Minister Yajeel who appears to be afraid of the emperor sometimes because of 'his curse'.

Eventually, at some point, she left the Alvarez Empire on her free will after finishing her studies and went on a long journey outside Alakitasia. Although her mentor, or rather former mentor now, may have been disappointed of her departure as he believes in her potential to be greatest Mage worthy of serving His Grace, Emperor Spriggan but he knew that everyone have all choices to make of their own and respects her decision to leave in good terms.

He personally told Valeria how proud he was of her as his best student, to follow her own path and cryptically told her that it is a painful thing to lose a friend and protect them. For the others reacting to her departure: Ajeel enthusiastically asked her to bring back souvenirs once she returns; Invel strictly reminding her to fill out and ready her travel documents and passports before leaving; Dimaria bade farewell and hope to meet each other again in a poetic yet cynical manner; Wahl reminding her that she is a Mage of the Alvarez Empire and take pride in it otherwise it is "sinful" for her not to be one; and finally Brandish finds it a pain for someone she sometimes disliked for her fashion taste to leave yet bid her good luck.

Valeria sees the Spriggan 12 almost like a second family to her like her parents, whom she visited her hometown often by August's permission of leave from the capital and they are quite decent people with their own perks of personality once one can get to know them better although Bradman often unnerves her for good reasons and avoided him like a plague, Neinhart, depending whether or not he's around in the capital, and Jacob Lessio can be jerks sometimes when either of them were patronizing her of her potential and abilities but still acts like a dignified gentlemen towards her out of respect for August anyways while the two remaining Shields of Spriggan, Irene Belserion and Larcade who seemed to be away from the capital often times and they almost never met or interacted with each other at all except on formal meeting and important gatherings.

Although some other people out there would ask in confusion and wonder: "Why on Earth Land would a Mage from the Alvarez Empire like her be doing here in Ishgar or more specifically the Kingdom of Fiore, one of the eastern continent's countries of all places?"

Well, Valeria wanted to explore the world outside her country and find herself a meaning and purpose of her life as a Mage other than a loyal and dutiful soldier to the Alvarez Empire which she doesn't feel like it that much unlike the rest of her enthusiastic colleagues and it happens to be on the very same land the Alvarez Empire once invaded by some other members of the Spriggan 12 operating independently of Emperor Spriggan's wishes.

Upon leaving Alakitasia through a sea transportation, she stopped by Caracol Island where the young woman enjoyed some star mango gelato at the stand that sold the dessert run by a man named Walter White who is starting up enough money to migrate to the Eastern Continent in his lifelong dream to build a big business of his popular dessert there and bade her farewell and good luck before heading to Ishgar and happened to have boarded a boat that was set on its route to the harbor town of the Kingdom of Fiore.

"Wow... So this is Fiore... A small wondrous nation of almost 17 million people in Ishgar. Among of all the countries in this continent filled with Magic and wizards, this one is the most famous of them all according to the stories and rumors of this kingdom...", a young woman spoke in awe of the landscape of the country she saw outside Hargeon.

In Ishgar, the Kingdom of Fiore is located on the westernmost peninsula as it is surrounded on three sides by ocean that widely separates this continent and Alakitasia, and has land borders with Bosco and Seven. Additionally, Caelum and Fiore combine their sea trade routes.

Compared to the harbor town of the Alvarez Empire where she left by boat, Hargeon looked almost quite very similar yet more bustling in business and life filled with people than Magic around these parts of town, Mages and non-Mages by her book as she traversed around the place and then that is where she had made a friend in this new foreign land.

"Hey hello there! I take it you're passing by this town? I am too.", a female voice called out to Valeria, turning around to the person who spoke to her.

Standing before the former apprentice of the Magic King is a blond girl with brown eyes and a voluptuous figure, and wearing a fitting sleeveless white and blue dress with a miniskirt. At her side is a whip with a heart shaped tip and a pouch of keys, Gold and Silver.

"Hi, my name is Lucy. What's your name?", the blonde girl asked with a cheerful smile on her face.

"I am Valeria Autumn. Nice to meet you Lucy.", the young woman replied with a small smile.

Sitting on the bench together for a moment, Valeria came to learn that the young girl Lucy she met was a Celestial Spirit Mage with the magical ability to summon Celestial Spirits from the otherworldly realm at her beck and call through Gate Keys and so far the blonde girl possessed three Gold Keys that summon the Zodiac Spirits and few Silver Keys that summon minor Spirits.

One of them happens to the newest one the blonde girl managed to obtain Minor Nikora from a sole Magic store that she managed to obtain a discount from 20,000 Jewels from much to her chagrin of her ineffectiveness of sex appeal towards the store owner who happens to be an old man to lower the price.

"Umm what's with the outfit Valeria? You look like a typical witch in the classics from the looks of it.", the Celestial Mage commented out loud on her new friend's garb.

"Hey I'm just keeping traditions Lucy. Wizards from ancient times wear these robes with pride until the modern fashion statement of today came along. Don't disrespect the classics, you know.", Valeria playfully scolded.

"Y-yeah sorry about that... It's just that hardly anyone wears such clothing around here in the country anymore.", Lucy said sheepishly.

 _You think?..._ , the female Alvarez Mage mentally commented. Well, she did saw some of the clothing worn that were casual, formal, bizzare, awesome ridiculous, etc. depending on their choice of wear from any Mage she came across in Ishgar.

In Alvarez, it was not so different with the same concept too but she and her former master August were the only known people who wore stereotypical Mage's garb that somewhat makes them a fish out of water in a sort of way.

"Valeria, you have red and blue eyes...", Lucy commented on her new friend's heterochromatic eyes she glanced upon.

"Oh sorry about that, Lucy. It's just a rare eye condition from birth. Do I frighten you with it?", Valeria explained about her eyes, feeling a bit nervous about it.

"Uh no! It looks kinda beautiful in a way.", Lucy commented much to the embarrassment of the former apprentice of the Magic King since no one complimented her that way. Her associates in Alvarez often saw her like a bit of a freak or teased her for it when it's all about her heterochromatic eyes.

"Thanks Lucy. You can call me Val, if you want. That's my nickname.", she said which the blonde girl agreed that she liked it.

A loud ruckus mostly composed of women's squeals heard by bystanders that occurred nearby as Valeria and Lucy noticed a big crowd of fangirls surrounding person of a famous celebrity-like status called Salamander.

"The famous Salamander in Fiore who controls Fire Magic that can't be bought in Magic stores from the rumors I heard is here in town? Here?... Come on Lucy.", Valeria said to herself in a tone of doubt while her new friend fangirled of meeting the infamous Mage in Fiore as the two girls bypassed through a crowd of fangirls with eyes filled with hearts and great admiration where she encountered a blue-haired handsome man in an ornate clothing who claimed to be the Salamander himself.

Although every girl surrounding that man were all captivated by his ruggedly handsome appearance including Lucy who tried to fight it but fell victim to it, Valeria doesn't seem so impressed, displaying a neutral look and began to walk away like it's none of her business along with the captivated Lucy that greatly shocked Salamander when he noticed the orange haired girl in a witch garb and hat not falling for his natural or rather Magical charms.

"She just left?!", he yelled in shock.

Almost immediately, the mob of fangirls except for Lucy who still gazed her heart-shaped eyes on Salamander started to attack the walking away girl in response of Salamander's shock as they pounced on Valeria and started beating her up in a cloud of smoke!

"How could you ignore that man?!"

"Nobody disrespects the Salamander when I am around!"

"Show him some respect and kindness!"

"Stupid witch!"

"Hey you! That's rude!"

"Right! Salamander is a great wizard!"

"You better be sorry!"

Unknown to them, however, Valeria was revealed to have just teleported out of way in fast reaction and in a casual yet surprised and deadpanned manner to the Salamander's fangirls' mob attack in the nick of time and watch them ended beaten themselves up instead of her. "What's wrong with you people?... I just want to leave...", she wondered deadpanned before glancing at Salamander and noticing his two rings he wore on his right hand.

One had a picture of a sleepy crescent moon shaped like a face with a blue background and the other one had a pink heart picture with a purple background.

She recognized that ring on his finger as if she saw it before and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wait, that ring... Don't tell me that's a Charm...And Salamander's using it? That's just lame..."

Just as Salamander seemed to took that as an offense with an imaginary arrow appeared to impale on his ego for a brief moment and then was about to charm Valeria into his fold with his charm ring just like a heart-eyes Lucy did, someone had rudely interrupted him out of nowhere.

A slightly tanned boy with a spiky pink hair, wearing an Arabian-style outfit with a white scale-detailed scarf and black sandals with a light red jacket with a green backpack and a red sleeping bag on top of his backpack. Below him was a blue cat standing on two feet with a green backpack next to his leg.

"IGNEEL!", the pinkette boy yelled that soon got everyone's attention at the confused teen boy.

Looking at the blue-haired man with a cape, the boy gave a disappointed look on his face. "Who the hell are you?"

The man made a surprised stance in bewilderment for a few seconds when the boy said that in his face before calming down. "Who the hell am I?! Perhaps you have heard of my name, the famous Salamander, haven't you?"

Then he saw the pink-haired teen leaving in a disappointed manner just like the orange-haired girl did. "Him too?!", he shouted.

In response, the fangirls immediately attacked the boy in a ganged up mob attack in the same manner they did on Valeria and spouted the same flurry of verbal accusations at the pinkette boy for offending Salamander while beating him up relentlessly in a cloud of smoke.

But the Salamander was a little more forgiving of the repeated offense he took as he got the girls' attention again. "Now, now! That's enough, ladies. I'm sure he didn't mean to insulting me, including the orange girl too."

His fans then went back in swooning over him almost immediately as if nothing happened at all, letting go of Natsu and Lucy doesn't look impressed, apparently she was freed from the Charm Salamander put her on.

 _Orange girl?!... Says you blueberry freak!_ , Valeria wasn't amused of this as she watched on the spectacle while a visible popping vein appeared on her forehead along with a twitching from her left red eye. Inwardly, she wanted to punch the man's smug face so hard that he won't be looking in the mirror anytime soon.

"Here. Have an autograph! Now you can brag your friends about it!", Salamander said, giving the boy an autograph in a friendly offer.

The pink-haired teen's only reply was, "I'll pass."

It then promptly caused the Salamander fangirls about gang up on him again for another apparent offensive comment on Salamander. Having seen enough, Valeria sprung into action as she quickly raised her staff glowing with Magical energy with a blue Magic circle and erected a thick wall made of Magical energy that separates the pink-haired teen and the mob of angry fangirls that surprises both sides when it happened.

"Alright, that's enough for all you! Just because me and the pinkie guy here were rude to Salamander you're _fawning over_ doesn't mean that you should get to gang up on us like that!", she said with a disdain voice at the blue-haired man.

This caught the mob of girls off guard by the female Alvarez Mage's outburst as the pink-haired teen got up and gave a thumbs in support and said his thanks for saving him from another wave of butthurt from angry fangirls while a blue cat glanced at her for a brief moment.

In an instant after Valeria's outburst, Salamander then stepped in front of the crowd and said, "Ladies my appreciation for your enthusiasm knows no bounds." The girls turned their attention back to him again, swooning. "I apologize, but I have business to deal with at the harbor. **Red Carpet...** ", he continued as he snapped his fingers and a purple Magic Seal appeared underneath him, forming a cloud of purple flames and raised him into the air. "There will be a party at my yacht tonight. You're all welcome to attend!"

With that, the Fire Mage left the scene with the girls enthusiastically telling him that they'll more than willing to attend his party in his yacht tonight as they dispersed and went to their homes, ready to dress up good for the man they were Charmed by him to admire.

"Wonder what's that guy's damage?", the pink-haired wondered while recovering from the previous he got from the fangirls of Salamander as the blue cat walked to his human friend.

"He's really a creep, isn't he?", the blond teen said which Val agreed in mutual feeling with a short nod before walking up to the duo composed of a boy and a blue cat. "Thanks for earlier, guys and what's your names?", she said much to their confusion while looking puzzled.

* * *

 _At the restaurant of Hargeon_

Later then, Lucy finds herself at the restaurant, sitting by the window where the pink-haired boy ate as much food as he want into his mouth and his cat munched on his fish. The blonde teen treated them as a form of thanks that those two found to be happy for it. Valeria apparently joined in too as well as she sat by the window with her pointed hat taken off and staff on her left side and the blonde girl on her right.

"Fanks for da foo!", the pinkette boy said with his mouth full.

"Yup, yup!", the cat said in agreement as his cheeks filled with fish.

"So your names are Natsu and Happy huh? Well, nice to meet you, I'm Lucy. And you as well Valeria. Umm... could you guys at least not make a mess?...", Lucy said with a sweat-drop at their lack of table manners.

Although Valeria was surprised to see a cat can talk and walk on two feet, she sensed something off from the pinkette teen still hungrily chewing on his food she glanced at him, _I sensed a great level of Magic power within this guy, so it's safe to assume that he's a wizard of unknown type of Magic... Maybe Fire Magic I think? But there's some sort of strange yet ancient and powerful presence inside you... Almost like a Dragon for some reason. Just what was that?_

The pink-haired teen named Natsu nodded and continued on eating more with the talking cat named Happy on his side that both women shared deadpanned looks on their faces. "Nayws two mreet ryu two Rushi! Ohw! Yuw tuu azh wrell Vwhaleryia!"

Changing the subject, Lucy said quite in an upset tone as she ranted, "I can't believe that Salamander guy used Charm! It's a Spell that sways people's hearts in the wizard's favor. Apparently that type of Magic like that was banned several years ago. It's disgusting that he'd use Magic to attract girls."

Agreeing with her new friend, Valeria shared the same opinion too as well. It's sick-minded for a guy like Salamander to stoop so low to get a girl's attention. Heck, even Charm was banned in the Alvarez Empire.

The two males didn't even listen at all or listened a little while they continued eating but Lucy continued, "Though, I thank you for bumping into me, the Charm wore off when you and Happy shown up."

 _Well, I almost decided to whack your head with my staff from the Charm's influence a bit hard but thankfully it never happened..._ , Valeria mentally commented in a sweatdrop and deadpan.

"Ah, I see...", Natsu said while keeping on eating.

"And Valeria? Were you affected by the Charm too?", the blonde Celestial Mage asked.

Snorted in amusement, the Alvarez Mage commented, "Not even once! That Salamander guy used low-leveled Charm spell and it didn't affect me at all. From the looks of it, he's an amateur."

"I may not look like it but I'm a wizard myself.", Lucy said with confidence after pleased with Valeria's mutual dislike for Charm spells.

"Ngeally?", Natsu asked, still stuffing food in his mouth

Lucy replied in response. "Yup. Though, I'm not a member of a guild yet."

The blonde teenage woman then began to talk about the description and concept about guilds where Mages join to make a living and provide their services to the people and dreamed of joining she still feeling a bit insecure on which guild should she wanted to join, considering a number of popular guilds dotting all around in Fiore, that made her really hard to choose just one and yet she must join one and fulfill her dreams and ambitions of a Mage.

Valeria had noted that Ishgar has over 500 separate guilds that spanned across its countries in the continent under the shadow of the Magic Council governing the Magic World as opposed to the Alakitasia's unified 730 guilds that formed the Alvarez Empire in the first place. Mages in guilds from the Western Continent had full-time salaries in their service to the Alvarez military rather than taking Jobs issued by the common people.

Lucy finished, "There's this only one place where many great Mages gather; that's the guild I want to get into!" She then calmed down before speaking again, "Oh what should I do? The one I want to join might be pretty strict.", she added.

"Huh... that's so...", Natsu said, obviously ain't paying attention with Happy noting, "Wow, you sure talk a lot."

"I really doubt either of you cared to listen...", Valeria commented deadpanned which made Happy look away in shame after hearing that.

Now thinking about a certain person Natsu mentioned named Igneel in their accidental first meeting, the orange-haired girl asked. "By the way, Natsu. you said you were looking for someone?"

"Yeah, that's right! We heard Salamander's in town but he wasn't the one we're looking for.", the pinkette teen replied.

"He didn't look like Salamander at all.", Happy still chewing on his fish.

"I was sure he was the real deal, too.", Natsu said in an unhappy tone while eating a loaf of bread.

"Um, how could... a human look like a salamander?", Lucy questioned.

"Ah, Igneel isn't a human being. He's a Dragon.", the pink-haired young man calmly answered much to the shock of both women when his words registered into their heads. Well, the blonde more than the orange-haired girl.

Knowing about Dragons in Earth Land that once roamed the world are extremely powerful that have the power to destroy an entire country and currently few remaining Dragons who survived the destructive civil war over coexistence and subjugation of humanity in the Dragon King Festival or rather Ragnarok by Alakitasian perspective according to her former mentor and apparently disappeared seven years ago that such majestic creatures of great intellect and power are nothing more than fairy tales and stories she heard from the rumors prior to leaving on a journey.

"It's outrageous to think something like that to appear in town!", Lucy exclaimed.

"If it were the case, then this place would have been a desolate ghost town instead by now.", Valeria added in.

Natsu and Happy realized what the girls said, knowing it would be all too obvious if a Dragon did pass by.

"Don't look so surprised! I can't believe you didn't even think of that!", Lucy said to the duo before deciding to leave. "Well, I need to get going. Take your time eating.", she said, leaving some money on the table to pay for the two's meals.

After a brief moment, Natsu and Happy had tears in their eyes which Valeria figured it out that they were grateful for the blond's kindness before they got on their knees in the middle of the pathway and called out their thanks.

"Thank you for the meal!", they simultaneously said together to Lucy right in front of everyone in the restaurant.

"Don't, you're embarrassing me!...", the blonde woman yelped in surprise by the duo's actions as the restaurant is filled with murmurs and whispers from the customers, waiters and bystanders about what was transpiring. "I-it's fine really! Besides, you helped me, too. So we're even now right?", she then nervously thanked the two for freeing her from Salamander's Charm.

"But we didn't help anyone.", Natsu said, still kneeling.

"We're in your debt.", Happy finished, still kneeling also.

The former apprentice of the Magic King can only sigh at the duo's antics and decided to accompany with Lucy for a little while before continuing on her journey around Ishgar and she had a weird feeling that Salamander might be back anytime soon since she and Lucy were the only two women unaffected or broke free of his Charms.

"Well, I'm off as well. See ya around Natsu, Happy.", Valeria said as she put on her hat back in her head and took her staff. "Good luck on your search for this Dragon Igneel of yours."

"Bye! See ya, Valeria!", Natsu said as he and Happy waving goodbye to the female Alvarez Mage. "Aye!"

* * *

 _Somewhere in the outskirts of Hargeon_

After Valeria Autumn left the restaurant in Hargeon, she went looking for Lucy who already left but luckily the blonde Mage had spotted her not too far off. Probably due to the pointy hat she wears on her head that sticks out the most.

"Hey Lucy!", she called out to her new friend who turned around and was surprised to see the former Magic King's apprentice.

"Oh hi there Valeria! Do you need something?", Lucy asked when the orange-haired girl caught up to her.

"Umm..., no. That's not it. I just want to hang around with you for a moment. Do you mind?", Val asked which the blonde accepted, happy to have someone else's company in Hargeon.

As they walked and talked, Lucy and Valeria enjoyed each other company and sharing about girls' stuff and topics that they have something in common at least before the former stopped by the newsstand and bought the current issue of a Sorcerer Weekly magazine.

"Huh? Fairy Tail is causing trouble again?", Valeria read out loud curiously. _Where did that name come from?..._ , she thought.

"Apparently, they destroyed the Devon Thief Family but end up destroying several houses that belonged to the townspeople.", Lucy answered without looking away and then laughed and fell over. "Hahahaha! That's way over the top!", she commented, still laughing.

The former Magic King's apprentice knew that the wizards and Magic soldiers under the Alvarez Empire can cause a lot more collateral damage in the battlefield but it can be avoided depending on their commanding officers' decisions in their tactics and strategy but still... it feels amusing about the reckless destruction of Fiore's guild in the magazine's headlines.

Something came into her mind, the blonde girl said in excitement. "Oh right, remember when I said there's a guild I wanted to join? It's Fairy Tail!"

 _Fairy Tail?... Wait, wasn't that the guild of Fiore in Ishgar the Alvarez Empire tried to invade this continent ten years ago? Just to get some powerful Magic artifact that they needed?...Lumen Histoire?..._ , Valeria finally recognized that name before and then recalled about the Ishgarian guild her country attempting to take its most valued artifact in its possession while eavesdropping few of the Spriggan 12 members debating inside the meeting room about successfully taking it for the empire this time while Spriggan was away but the others including her former master August have strongly objected to such foolish notion without their emperor's word of leave since the last time Alvarez went into an unsanctioned war on Ishgar before he put a stop it himself.

"Does Fairy Tail cause a ruckus whenever they have Jobs?", the female Alvarez Mage asked in wonder.

"It seems Fairy Tail has a tendency to make a mess whenever they go.", Lucy replied before asking her new friend in curiosity, "By the way I've been meaning to ask: what's your specialty, Val?"

"I'm a wizard Lucy. Does my robed clothing and a pointy hat had already stated the obvious?", Valeria told her deadpanned.

"Oh! Sorry! Sure you're definitely a wizard in the classics but what type of Magic do you use?", the blonde girl said, hoping that she didn't offend her new friend.

"Umm... I use any kind of Magic at my disposal. Taught by my master but I'm very excelled at Elemental types out of most of them.", the orange-haired woman tried to choose her words carefully lest, Lucy or anyone else, finds out that she's really an outsider or more specifically a foreigner from the Alvarez Empire about her magical capabilities she learned under August.

"Wow! You must be some kind of powerful wizard I've just ran into! That's awesome Val!", Lucy squealed in delight which her friend sweat-dropping and flustered of her praise towards her.

 _By Ishgarian standards, I'm quite powerful compared to this land's strongest wizards although I doubted it of my strength sometimes but in Alvarez, I couldn't even lift a finger with anyone who are much more stronger than me, especially the Spriggan 12 including my former master. There's a big difference in levels of power between both continents after all..._ , she thought about the huge difference in power scales of strength between wizards of Ishgar and Alakitasia.

"Hey, Valeria? I-I'm just wondering if you want to join Fairy Tail too. I mean, I won't mind you joining me along too! You look pretty strong from the looks of it despite how others sees you in the robes. Ehehe...", Lucy sheepishly said, wondering if she will join the guild too like her.

 _M-m-me?! A wizard of Alvarez joining Fairy Tail?!_ _Now that is a surprise! My master and everyone else will be flipping hard on the ground like crazy if they heard of this!_ , Valeria thought in shock about her, a foreigner from Alakitasia, joining the very same guild her country attempting to invade the eastern continent for its most sacred artifact and that's kind of an irony of an irony taken to a whole new level.

"I'm... not sure, Lucy. I'm on a journey around the land, you know like a wandering wizard finding a new purpose in life, and I just got here... so it's a bit too early for me to join a Guild much less Fairy Tail.", she said much to her friend's brief disappointment. "...But I'll think about it when I had the time.", she then reassured which made Lucy happy a little bit.

"As for you, Lucy. What kind of Magic do you have? I figured that it has something to do with either the whip or the keys you're currently carrying.", Val asked, although she knew Celestial Spirit Magic from the books during her study but it wouldn't hurt to ask an Ishgarian friend about her Magic.

The question had caught Lucy's attention as she then explained, "Ah, that's right! It's only fair I tell you what I am since I asked about you. Well, I'm a Celestial wizard. We use Gate Keys to summon various creatures and helpers. They're all unique and have different abilities and contracts, as well as unique personalities! I'm aiming to get strong Keys such as the Zodiac Keys. I've got about three at the moment."

Val nodded as the blond told her of this information, "I'd like to see one of your Celestial Spirits at some point, Lucy. By the way, who's on the cover?", she said before noticing a voluptuous woman with white hair and in a swimsuit.

Lucy looked at the part of the magazine Val was pointing at. "Ah, this is Mirajane, their guild's main attraction. Hmm, I wonder if someone like her is also reckless.", she said out loud.

"You know what they, 'Don't the book by its cover'.", the female Alvarez Mage replied with a playful wink of her blue eye.

The pun from her companion had made Lucy laugh a bit. "Haha, very true. Though I wonder how will I join Fairy Tail? You too if you want. No doubt you're strong, so you might get in. Maybe we just have to be very good or something.", she said.

"They don't do interviews?", Val wondered, in the Alvarez Empire, many new recruits who joined the military are often interviewed by their superiors scanning through their files and documents along with the demonstration of their abilities required to see if they are qualified to join any squads of the Spriggan 12 or transferred to the army reserves depending on their decisions.

Joining an Ishgarian guild like Fairy Tail without even much of an interview in Fiore was surprising by her perspective but it looks interesting of sorts. However paperwork is the most important part of any group or organization after all which leaves her wonder why would such guild lets anyone in without even getting to know who they are firsthand.

Lucy shrugged, "Beats me. But really, Fairy Tail is awesome!"

Sensing a presence hiding in the bushes, Valeria called out to the Peeping Tom in a threatening tone while about to draw out her staff. "Alright, whoever you are. I will turn you into a pig and roast you for lunch buddy.", she said in a threatening manner.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there, little lady! I wasn't going to do anything bad to you. Honest! And please don't roast me!", Salamander said with a surrender sign his hands raised after revealing himself to be hiding in the bushes.

 _What a horrible liar... This Salamander... Why is he stalking us?..._ , Valeria thought before questioning him sternly. "How long were you been there?"

Salamander defended himself after hearing the accusing question. "Hey, I just got here. You know how hard it is to track ladies like you? If I hear this, right, you both want in at Fairy Tail, right?"

"Actually, I didn't want to join Fairy Tail. Lucy here wanted to but I will be going on the road again.", Val interjected with her mismatched eyes narrowed dangerously at the stalker who made Marin Hollow look decent or probably his long lost cousin of sorts.

This made the skinny spiky haired young man, who is standing guard next to the door to the large bathroom, sneeze and briefly thought someone is talking bad about Brandish, the woman he deeply admired despite her disgust towards him. Then he heard his superior calling out to get her a bath towel which he is more than happy to comply to her wishes as best as he can.

"You can actually do that? Get me into Fairy Tail?", Lucy asked.

"But of course, I also wanted to invite beautiful ladies like you two to attend the party on my yacht.", Salamander said.

The former Magic King's apprentice stood her ground in front of the blond teen as her instincts telling her that this man is mainly interested in women, not doing in any favors.

"Well, let me tell you something! Your Charm won't work on me anymore, so long as I'm aware. If the person you're casting knows what's your doing, it's game over. And besides my friend here can snap me out of it should it happen again.", the blonde Mage said, pointing at the blue-haired man.

Val was surprised to hear someone call her a friend even if she's actually a foreigner from another continent. Well, she had acquaintances with some members of the Spriggan 12 squads but it was mutual feeling. But still, she's glad that she made a friend with the Celestial wizard.

"I knew it! I'd knew you'd be a wizard when our eyes first met aside from your friend beside you. Very well, no Charms so long as you come to my party.", Salamander dramatically said.

 _Wow... It took you long enough to figure out Lucy is a wizard. Maybe she should wear some robes and a pointy hat like me in order to make it more obvious! That'll do the trick._ , Valeria sarcastically thought about the man's obliviousness.

"Are you that desperate for attention that you'd stoop to using Charms? That's just ridiculous!", Lucy interjected.

"Please girls, they were only for show. I just wanted to look like a celebrity for my own party.", Salamander said in defense.

"Yeah right, as if a blueberry sleazebag like you would be a famous wizard. Come on Lucy. Let's go.", the female Alvarez Mage said which her friend complied and turned their backs on him, walking away.

"Hold on! Didn't you two or rather blondie wanted to get into Fairy Tail?", the blue-haired man shouted that prompted both girls to stop on their tracks mid-way and turned around.

"Have either of you heard of Salamander of Fairy Tail?", the man asked.

"Yes, I have!", Lucy said before blinking in realization. "Wait, does that mean you're a Fairy Tail wizard?"

"Where's your guild mark?", the orange-haired girl asked.

"Excuse me?", Salamander questioned.

"I said where's your guild mark? If you're truly a member of Fairy Tail Salamander, show it to us that you bear the symbol of the guild as proof.", Val explained, which somehow made the man sweat in utter nervousness.

"I-I do have a guild mark with me in my body but... it's somewhere that you girls would find it... private...", Salamander said much to Lucy's embarrassment and Valeria's disgust as both women knew what he actually meant.

"But really, I am! And I would gladly ask the Master to let you join along with your friend if she wanted to.", the blue-haired man proposed.

"I'm sure it will be a wonderful party, won't it?", Lucy said, leaning on the older man persuading him to let her join which made Val want to facepalm so bad at the sight of the blonde's attempt of sex appeal.

"Huh, your personality is easy to understand.", Salamander said, sweatdropping a little and wanted a little more personal space.

"So I can really join Fairy Tail?", Lucy asked as she was so excited to join in the Guild she always wanted to be in although her new friend didn't want to join but hopefully she will change her mind soon enough.

"Why yes, just don't tell anyone about the Charm.", the Fire Mage asked although this made the female Alvarez Mage suspect him more and her instinct tells her that he might try to kill both of them for knowing his little secret just like classified info within the military but stayed quiet for now.

"Sure, sure!", the blonde Mage exclaimed, raising her hand.

"Excellent! Now I will see you both there.", Salamander said as he walked away and waving goodbye, leaving the two girls alone once more.

Valeria walked over to Lucy and tapped her head with the wooden staff as she said, "He's gone now Luce."

Lucy snapped out of trance and realized something, "Ahhh! I can't believe I fell for a pseudo-Charm!"

"Hey, at least you've returned back to reality Lucy.", Val said with a chuckle before asking serious. "So you're going to a party of his?"

"So long as I can get into Fairy Tail, I'll try to put up with him a little longer.", the Celestial Mage replied then something dawned on her, "...Hey Val., do you have any formal clothes?"

"Actually, I'm not going.", she simply said much to Lucy's shock and surprise.

As the blonde wondered if her friend didn't have any clothes to wear for the party, Valeria simply explained that she's not that much of a person in parties due to spending time studying under August while having only to attend formal parties at the capital of Vistarion or her birthday celebrations at her hometown within the Alvarez Empire.

Then Valeria warned Lucy that this Salamander person may be up to something bad and keep an open eye out on anything suspicious while she will find out what's going on inside his yacht in the midst of the party attended by the girls under his Charms along with the part of calling her in as backup in case things went south. Before they leave, she gave her friend an earring which is actually a Magic communication device to remain contact with each other which Lucy finds it beautiful and fits her style with a dress well.

And with that both girls went on their own ways.

* * *

 _At the night of Hargeon, Salamander's yacht_

Later that night, Lucy did came to the party hosted by Salamander with a lot of young women who're the same fangirls of him attending and wore a maroon shoulder-less dress and her hair in a pony tail on one side. She still had her Celestial Spirit Keys at her side and of course a little Magic earring that served as communication given by Valeria Autumn. The blond Mage is currently in the small private room with Salamander.

"Lucy, huh? Such a lovely name...", he complimented.

Said girl thanked him for being nice and hospitable to her, and looked at her surroundings. "What about the other guests?", she asked.

"Don't worry about them. I'd like to have a toast with you.", Salamander said as he poured some wine into the glass and with Telekinesis, made drops of red liquid floating in the air.

 _Okay that's just really creepy!_ , she exclaimed inside her head, as well as turning her head in shock before steeling herself. _But, I've got to put with this a little longer. Just a little..._

Suddenly sensing something wrong, Lucy quickly swat them off and glared at him in an accusing tone. "Those are sedatives, aren't they?"

"Oh and how did you find out?", Salamander asked in a calm position, which confirmed Lucy's suspicions of him that he's definitely up to no good at all.

The blonde girl sternly stated at him, "Don't think otherwise. I certainly want to get into Fairy Tail, but I'm not gonna be your girlfriend!"

"What do I do about a girl like you? If only if you let yourself get drugged, then you wouldn't have to get hurt. Such a shame orange girl in a witch getup wasn't here with you.", the blue-haired Mage said darkly in his tone.

"Huh?", the blonde said in confusion.

Out of nowhere, two strong arms grabbed hold of Lucy's as the latter looked back to see a gang of goons and thugs gathered together with a fall of the curtain with creepy looks on their faces.

"Well, well, well lookie here."

"Guess we got a quite catch this time."

"That's such a pretty face."

"Check out that figure."

And similar other statements and comments from the rest of the men on board this yacht, most with perverted, sadistic and sickening looks in their eyes as they looked at Lucy who was sweating, worried of what might come next and got very upset before Salamander got in her face.

"Welcome aboard my slave ship, miss. It'd be best to behave yourself while we make our way to Bosco.", he declared with a evil glee.

"Wait, Bosco?! What's the meaning of this?!", Lucy demanded.

 _So that's the real truth behind this party for your 'fans' all along Salamander. You intended to make the women you charmed into your thrall to be branded into slavery... Bosco, one of Ishgar's countries apparently has a slave trade there._ _Dammit..._ , Valeria realized while overhearing the confrontation through a communications earring after teleporting the last batch of unconscious girls out of the slave ship midst the unconscious bodies of goons lying on the ground.

Earlier when Lucy attended Salamander's party, the Alvarez Mage under the Invisibility Spell observed several women falling unconscious right after they took one drink from the cups and the goons appeared to take them under their custody, tying them up. She easily knocked them out with a powerful Sleep spell when they weren't looking and then teleported the unconscious girls out to safety.

There was no such thing as slavery even in the Alvarez Empire as normal people here are considered second class citizens next to the first class who uses Magic but at least they had full rights protected within the empire under Spriggan and the council of ministers and generals to stabilize the country.

"Just give it up, girl. You're our merchandise now.", one thug said with a scene shown with numerous unconscious women drugged by the drinks they took.

"So you did this all this? Just to kidnap girls to be sold to slavery. You good for nothing bastard!...", Lucy started to say angrily.

Then Salamander continued, in intent to break her. "Yes, of course miss Lucy. That's the daily routine me and my boys did right under the noses of the Magic Council. I get to lure the women in my ship and then sell them to slavery in Bosco for a price. Quite very profitable for us, don't you think boys?"

The men agreed in response in form of mutters and hollers to their boss' words of reply to Lucy still held on by a brutish man and tried to resist from his hold but failed.

Noticing at Lucy's waistline with a pique of interest for a moment, Salamander reached for her side and picked up her pouch of gold and silver keys in his hands. "Hmm? Gate Keys huh? So you're a Celestial wizard."

"Celestial? What do you mean, boss?", a dumb-looking thug asked.

"It does not matter. Unless you are a contract holder, this kind of Magic can't be used. In other words, they're useless to me", the blue-haired man explained before unceremoniously tossed out Lucy's keys out through the nearby window and sank into the bottom of the sea, breaking the girl into tears of hurt and anger at the man who deceived her.

Brandishing a branding iron for slaves, Salamander issued his orders. "Well, then as a slave, the first thing to do is to brand you and then it's off to Bosco. Too bad your friend, that orange girl in a witch getup won't be to join the fun."

"You're the worst kind of wizard ever!", the Celestial Mage muttered in tears of anger.

Suddenly, a massive exertion of Magical power emanating with rage filled the entire room and shook the whole ship and the surrounding waters of the ocean that froze everyone standing there in utter fear including Salamander who couldn't even withstood the pressure.

It is revealed to be Valeria Autumn herself appearing out of nowhere after teleporting the rest of the unconscious girls who were sedated by the spiked drinks and she was very pissed off at the sight of Lucy being branded like a slave after overhearing Salamander's intentions.

"Val?...", Lucy muttered in surprise of her new friend's calm but very enraged anger.

 _"It's a painful thing to lose a comrade, Valeria my child. Remember it well my apprentice... Some of my colleagues may disregard of this but I do not and I pass this lesson to you. Cherish them and protect them with your power. That is the path of a wizard. To be strong to protect the weak."_ , her former master's voice ringed in the young woman's head as she then glared at the man who was about to brand her new friend in Ishgar a slave in a sickening manner.

"A wizard of Ishgar like you disgusts me very, very much _Salamander_. I will have you roasted alive like a true Hell hereon earth...", Valeria declared in anger with her heterochromatic eyes that screams brutal murder staring right into the blue-haired man's soul looking at her along with the continued flaring of Magical power.

 _What is this feeling?! Why am I so afraid of her?..._ , he thought in constant shock and fear.

Twirling her staff around before slamming it on the ground hard, the Alvarez Mage fired a double shockwave blast wave upon another slamming of her staff again at the same time that sent nearly everyone off their foot, and some off the ship unluckily and collapsed with some managing to get back on their feet.

"Mr. Salamander!"

"You bitch!"

"Damn, she nearly knocked our pals off the ship!"

"Looks like you need to be taught a lesson."

"Gang up on her! She can't beat us with our numbers!"

Numerous men started to surround Valeria and Lucy who were about to defend themselves, intending to fight them but all of a sudden a wooden ceiling burst hard with a familiar face jumped into the fray who landed on the ground hard with the wooden floor crushed by his landing with no sign of trouble.

Blinking their eyes in surprise of a certain pink-haired teen who literally crashed into the party from above out of nowehere, the two female Mages muttered his name in recognition, "Natsu?"

In what appeared to be a badass moment for the pink-haired teen coming to save the day, Natsu fell on his knees and his cheeks puffed green a little with a look on his face that he wanted to hurl.

"Oh no, I can't take it.", Natsu said dizzily as he tried to hold on to his mouth from vomiting the contents in his stomach.

"Ehh? What kind of entrance was that?!", Lucy exclaimed in a deadpanned tone before sighing at Natsu's stupidity that Salamander and his men appeared to agree with her despite being enemies now.

The female Alvarez Mage can only facepalm at the 'Epic Fail' moment the pink-haired teen had pulled off right in front of them. "That's gotta be... the worst case of motion sickness ever of all time... So this is Ishgar... Full of surprises.", she muttered.

She also noticed Happy too in the sky, probably responsible for dropping Natsu into the slave ship of Salamander's from above. _What are they doing here?_ , she wondered in her thoughts.

"Lucy? Valeria? What are you doing here?", the talking cat asked while descending down through the hole the now motion sick Natsu made.

"We're in Salamander's slave ship we got ourselves into with a bad case of party invitation by that blueberry freak over there, Natsu.", the orange-haired witch girl pointed out which the blue-haired handsome man find it offensive of her comment.

"Hey! That's just low for you to say that, orange girl.", he retorted back much to her annoyance.

"Hey Lucy, can you swim?", the former Magic King's apprentice asked her friend who then nodded in confirmation. "Alright, you go dive in after your keys and Happy when she surfaces, get her on shore. I'll support Natsu here in beating up these Ishgarian scumbags...", she said.

Lucy and Happy complied and get moving to leave the ship but this did not go unnoticed however as Bora's thugs tried to fire their Magic pistols but they were terrible shots that allowed the two to escape.

"Oh dammit! Search for them you fools! Find them! If news reaches the Magic Council, I'm done for!", he said in cold sweat and panic to his men who were then interrupted by a pink-haired boy who tried to say something despite his condition and pathetically put up a fight but was easily overpowered by the former's men but they were blown away by another Magical shockwave of Val's staff slammed into the ground.

"Fairy... Tail...", he weakly muttered much to his and the goons' confusion.

After Lucy jumped out of the yacht to get her keys back that was thrown out by Salamander, Happy spread his wings and flew above the cold waters, waiting for his friend to resurface anytime soon.

Lucy appeared with her head sticking out to breathe fresh air, just after Happy called out to her, having successfully retrieved her keys from the depths of the water and took out one of the golden keys to summon a Celestial Spirit as she dipped the key into the water.

" **Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!** ", she said as a blue Magic circle began to appear in front of her and out came a beautiful bluenette mermaid with a voluptuous figure and carrying an urn at her side.

Happy was surprise and amazement (not to mention a special interest in her because she looks like a fish) of the presence of a Celestial Spirit summoned by Lucy when she showed her pride of summoning one which irritates Aquarius who turned sternly at her for dropping her key and then threatened to drown her alive right here and now if she did it again that the blonde girl was very disturbed of her death threats.

It was the first time Valeria had seen a Celestial Spirit before and was awed of the Zodiac member's majestic beauty and power upon being summoned. Then she noticed the mermaid woman displaying looks of hostility and insubordination towards her summoner who tried to order her to bring the ship forcefully back to shore, only to reveal Aquarius threatening Lucy that she will kill her if the pouch of Gate Keys including hers were dropped again.

"HAAAAAAAHHHH! **Giant Wave Attack!** ", the Water Bearer said in an irritated response, scoffing as she gathered all water into her urn and then wildly spun herself around in tremendous force to create the large tidal wave that had sent the whole ship and its passengers including her owner and the talking blue cat crashing back into the shore of Hargeon's harbor, resulting the destruction and flooding of the surrounding area!

"Oh shit! **Wall of Stone!** ", Valeria lifted up her staff to summon a large earth wall in front of the harbor town of Hargeon through a brown Magic circle while holding onto the railings to brace herself for heavy impact right before the large tidal wave carrying the slave ship crashed right into it, completely destroying it in the process but managed to protect it from its full force of the impact.

In the aftermath of Aquarius' work, the harbor was a near total mess and all washed up! The slave ship owned by Salamander was completely overturned and a huge wreck with a huge wall it crashed upon, and most of the passengers on it had survived including the kidnapped girls who regained consciousness and then fled for their lives after realizing what happened to them when they're at "Salamander's" ship after Valeria teleported them away to safety in the shoreline of Hargeon.

The crowd of citizens were there too, trying to figure out what's going on down there and were having numerous surprises when they got there.

"Did that ship just crash into the harbor shore?"

"A huge wall just appeared out of nowhere and was destroyed all of a sudden!"

"How the hell did that happen?!"

"This is unbelievable!"

"Someone call the military!"

"I swear that a huge tidal swept that ship and destroyed the harbor shore!"

"No way!"

Lucy and Happy who appeared to have recovered met up with Valeria who managed to get off the destroyed overboard ship and then went off to find Natsu only for them to witness the pink-haired teenager starting to acting serious and glared angrily at 'Salamander' and his men.

"Natsu...", Lucy muttered before about to go help him, ready to fight but Happy stopped her much to her confusion.

"Happy... He's no ordinary person is he?...", Valeria asked, which the blue cat confirmed it.

Then, Natsu spoke in a loud and calm yet pissed off tone to 'Salamander'. "You are a Fairy Tail wizard?"

The blue-haired man answered back with a sneer, looking down on him. "What is it to you?" Turning to two of his thugs and gave an order, "Go teach that punk some manners."

The two thugs nodded at 'Salamander' and charged at the pinkette man with their fists.

"Let me take a good look at your face!", Natsu said darkly before reaching for his jacket while ignoring the two charging thugs coming at him.

Meanwhile, Happy was telling Lucy and Valeria something important. "Don't worry about Natsu, Lucy, Valeria. He's strong. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be a wizard."

Lucy showed her shocked look on her face while Valeria simply raised an eyebrow, _Well_ _he wouldn't be if he hadn't possessed such great Magical power I sensed from him and judging from his face, he's ready for a real heavy bruising. Bakel would love this guy as a new sparring partner should they meet..._

This made the large muscular man with scarves covering his eyes within the Ajeel Squad sneeze loudly and wondered if someone talked behind his back before shrugging it off and returned to his laidback self, leaving his partner Kareem confused.

Removing his jacket that now flew away in an opposite direction, Natsu quickly punched the thugs at the same time like an adult striking a child while revealing his right arm which had a red tattoo on top of his right shoulder that almost looked like a fairy, growling in anger. "I am Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail and I've never seen you before in our guild!"

Everyone was in complete shock when the pink-haired teen claimed to be the real Fairy Tail Mage in the flesh especially Lucy as she slowly spoke, "... So Natsu is a Fairy Tail wizard?"

"Mr. Bora boss-man! That mark is the real deal!", one of the thugs turned to Salamander upon recognizing the guild symbol on Natsu's right shoulder.

The blue-haired man whose real name to be revealed as Bora panicked in a pissed look. "You damned idiot! Don't call me by that name!"

"Bora. I see... Bora the Prominence. He was kicked out of the Titan's Nose guild some years ago for using Magic to aid in thievery and started his own gang to continue his dirty work of slavery.", Happy said when he got off Lucy's shoulder and crossed his arms.

"I don't care who the damned hell you are but I am not letting you pretend to be a Fairy Tail wizard and let you get away with it!", Natsu said sternly and angrily at the impostor for his name and the name of the Guild he was a member of.

Bora in sheer panic and in desperation to hide his fear by acting arrogant spread out his arms to cast a Fire Magic spell with a red Magic Seal appearing in front of him, yelling. "I think you've blabbered on long enough! Eat this Fairy! **Prominence Typhoon!** "

Coming out of his Magic seal is a spiraling column of purple fire is sent flying towards an unimpressed Natsu and it seemingly engulfed him in an explosion.

Lucy was about to go to him but Happy and Valeria stopped her briefly in her confusion while Bora and his men were seemingly pleased of Natsu's apparent demise. Sooner after, Natsu began to speak despite the burning flames surrounding his body. "Man, you call this Fire Magic? This flames of yours taste horrible! Yuck! Are you sure you're really a Fire wizard?"

This extremely shocked Bora and his men when the surrounding flames went into Natsu's mouth instead of burning him alive as the Salamander impostor expected him to be and the pinkette teen ate them despite its terrible taste. Finished swallowing it with a whip on his mouth using his arm and a grin, the Fairy Tail Mage. "Oh, by the way thanks for the meal."

"W-W-W-W-W-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS KID?!", Bora yelled in panic as Natsu started his counterattack.

Pounding his fists together forming his orange Magic Seal and a burst of flames erupting around his body, "I'm all fired up now!"

As Natsu inhaled a lot of flames into his mouth and positioned his hands in a trumpet-like formation, chanting his spell. **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

Out came a large stream of fire from Natsu's mouth and took out a big group of thugs in just one hit! Except Bora who used Red Carpet to quickly evade the pink-haired teen's fire breath attack, hovering above his wounded and unconscious men as one of them yelled out to him. "Mr. Bora! I have seen this guy before. The pink-hair, the scaly design scarf, and his flames. He's the real Salamander!"

"Natsu is the real Salamander of Fairy Tail...", Lucy said in awe of the teen's great Magic power as shown in the aftermath of his fire breath spell, surveying a lot of destruction he had just caused.

 _Well the title fits him better than that douche-bag..._ , Valeria smirked with a pleased look that Natsu had truly lived up to the befitted reputation of Salamander.

Gleaming at the Salamander impostor dangerously with a hint of red eye glowing, Natsu threatened Bora as he formed his flames around his fists and exerting his Magic power that caused the ground around him to shake. "Remember this asshole, this is the power of a Fairy Tail wizard! Here I go!"

"Aaaahhh! **Prominence Whip!** ", Bora casted another Fire Magic spell as his Magic Seal fired a number of fiery, curved purple beams towards a charging Natsu who evaded them all with ease when the attacks hit the ground in a series of large explosions like fireworks while casting another spell in form of rapid fire flame bullets. **"Red Shower!"**

Retaliating in return, Natsu summoned his Magic Seal at his feet that allowed him to gain propulsion to launch himself into the air to reach Bora and pummeled him with his fiery fists that sent the rogue Mage crashing into the nearby structures!

"Wow, how can he do that?", Lucy slowly asked Happy in awe upon witnessing a fire battle between Natsu and Bora who then recovered from the attacks and continued on with their fight.

"It's a special Magic that allows the person to have lungs of the dragon to breathe fire, the dragon's scales to dissolve flames and the dragon's claws to wrap flames around it... So basically, the person transforms their entire being into that of the Dragon. To produce and control fire from any part of their body, which can be used both in melee and as a ranged form of offense. The Ancient Magic that was used to subdue with Dragons, Dragon Slayer Magic... That's what Igneel had taught Natsu with that Magic. Lost Magic...", Happy explained about Natsu's Magic with a darkened look written all over his face.

 _So that makes sense. Natsu is a Dragon Slayer. It is considered somewhat rare to meet one in person and their power are close to a real Dragon..._ , Valeria thought to herself while watching the awed display of the pink-haired man's Magic.

While Natsu dealt with Bora the Prominence personally in all-out fiery and overly-destructive battle between Fire Mages, the blonde young woman, after hearing Happy's explanation about Dragon Slayer Magic, confronted mostly some of the rogue Mage's wounded but combat capable thugs who managed to survive or evade the Fire Dragon Slayer's fire breath attack earlier.

"Oh, crap. That's a lot of bad guys down there that Natsu didn't take them all out when he used his Fire Dragon's Roar... This is bad.", Happy said in a worried tone upon watching many of them cracking their fists for brutal melee beating or brandishing any kind of weapon they carried along with a malicious killing intent towards the flying talking cat and the two women.

Valeria, on the other hand, calmly walked towards the mass horde of Bora's men as she gripped her ornate wooden staff as she told them. "You two stay back. I got this one. You best stay clear. Things will get a little messy here."

 _So long as I don't go full power otherwise I might end killing them despite how much I wanted to. Oh well, they're all target practices anyway and this is gonna be a bullseye..._ , she thought in anticipation with mischievous smirk.

Lucy and Happy was surprised of what Valeria just said to him as she approached those mob of thugs while lighting up her pipe she took from her handbag and smoked casually as if she had won the fight already by now coming from the look on her face which is almost quite in a too calm and casual manner yet they were worried about her facing them all by herself.

 _What do you mean, Valeria? How are you going to fight that many of Bora's armed men with just your staff unless you use that sword?... It's impossible..._ , the talking cat wondered.

 _Oh God I hope she's okay. Val is facing a whole bunch of those goons and she only has a staff. Why didn't she use that sword she always carry around?..._ , the blonde girl thought.

Bora's thugs, however, didn't look pleased or amused to see the woman who's supposed to be one of their slaves alongside the Celestial Mage ready to be shipped off to Bosco for great profit, is intending to take them all on by herself whilst smoking on her pipe and charged altogether, foolishly believing that they'll easily beat her in strength in numbers.

"You're mine now bitch!"

"That frail wooden staff of yours ain't gonna help you around here when you face with real weapons!"

"Or even that sword you never even bothered using at all. Hell, we might even make good fortune out them once we take it away from you!"

"You pulling a Gandalf the Grey genderbend or something!"

"You're gonna say 'YOU SHALL NOT PASS!' aren't you bimbo!"

"AAAHHH! SNEAK ATTACK!"

"Take her down!"

Ignoring their bawdy, lewd or rude comments, Valeria raised her staff as it glowed with Magical energy, forming a golden Magic circle that symbolizes Light Magic with dozens of sharp looking arrows made of light. **"Heavenly Arrow Hailstorm..."** , she fired the Spell that easily defeated the first wave of Bora's thugs, sending them flying bloodied and bruised with a Magical explosions when the hail of light arrows struck them in precision which destroyed the surrounding area.

Not wasting any time or give chances of her enemies to counterattack, Valeria charged again her staff and summoned a brown Magic circle that symbolizes Earth Magic. **"Mountain Lion Pit..."** , suddenly a huge earth hole of 30 feet below the ground appeared underneath Bora's goons and they fell down in a comedic and undignified manner they displayed.

The talking blue cat and the Celestial Mage was baffled too, watching in surprise of their new friend's performance in her fight of her display of Magic that overwhelmed the fake Salamander's gang without even putting much effort at all although they noticed something strange about her.

Valeria's non-usage of the sword she often carries around and made the two wonder why did she even bother wielding a weapon since she can overwhelm but it is probably justified that it is used in case of Sword Mages who managed to get past her firing range and try to hit her just in case.

Seeing more thugs armed with only their dangerous weapons and fists who finally recovered from Natsu's first attack, still charging at her way recklessly like idiots they are, the female Alvarez Mage then extended her right arm holding the staff and summoned a blue Magic circle that represents Water Magic.

 **"Tsunami Slammer..."** , a huge fist made of water from the sea appeared at the shocked and terrified thugs and quickly slammed them down in one heavy attack, leaving them unconscious with fish and water in their open mouths.

Simultaneously summoning another Magic circle of violet that represent Air Magic from her staff, Valeria unleashed another Spell. **"Fury of the Skies...** ", a powerful gust of destructive winds manifested and has sent numerous of Bora's men that got caught at its range and ended flying into the air and then crashed landed around the surrounding area knocked bloodied but unconscious.

Those remained standing who had the brains than balls not recklessly charge in with their comrades that met the end of their line made different shocked reactions towards Valeria Autumn who's still attacking them with her Elemental Magics of any type from long range.

"What the hell is she?!"

"Is she somehow related to Gandalf or Merlin or something!?"

"That girl didn't even bother to use her sword on us?!"

"No way man!"

"This is crazy! No way can a wizard like her master six Magics let alone two!"

"Is she even human?!"

"Game over man! Game over!"

Finishing the last of the thugs trying to gang up on her with the swing of her staff, Valeria Autumn stood victorious while her enemies are lying on the ground, bloodied and unconscious alongside their destroyed weapons before lighting another spark into her pipe.

"Hey, Lucy! Happy! You alright back there.", the former Magic King's apprentice asked.

The Celestial Mage and the talking cat nodded slowly as a yes, still appearing to be shock of the display of Valeria's Magical capabilities before turning attention to the fight between Natsu and Bora above the already devastated town of Hargeon along with the two women.

The Salamander impostor still flying in his **Red Carpet** placed his arms before him that summoned his Magic Seal that built up a concentrated purple Magical energy into it that unleashed a long, large and laser-like beam on the town, enveloping it in an explosion a very long area before him in attempt to hit Natsu but the latter dodged it. **"Hell Prominence!"**

 **"Red Skull!"** In one more desperate attempt to strike at Natsu, Bora conjured up a large sphere of fire shaped like a cartoon skull in his stretched arms and threw it at the Fire Dragon Slayer who caught it with ease, causing the ground to shatter before eating it completely.

As he wiped his mouth off and grinned, "I am having a great meal today. Thank you very much but now I'm gonna smoke you to a crisp!"

"Smoke me to a crisp!?", the blue-haired man cried out in shock, raising his hands a little in response of his opponent's threats.

"Here goes...", Natsu said as he punched his fists again to form his Magic Seal once more and charged toward Bora and punched him with his flaming fist! **"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"**

Unable to defend from such a ferocious Magical melee attack in time, the rogue Mage who impersonated the Salamander of Fairy Tail was punched in the face hard and was then sent flying across the town, destroying what's left of the remaining buildings and crashing into the chapel's bell!

"I'll admit that he's amazing... but he's overdoing it...", Valeria said in a sweat-drop manner when Natsu walked towards the blonde girl exclaiming in shock of his overly-destructiveness in battle and talking cat complimenting his human friend, telling them that that was a good fight he had... and a meal too despite how bad Bora's flames taste like.

Emerging from the rubble of what's almost left of Hargeon's chapel, a heavily bruised but still alive Bora recklessly charged at Natsu from behind as the Fire Mage conjured a large but concentrated Fire Magic Power at his hand in intent to take out the famous Salamander of Fairy Tail if he's going down with him.

"If I'm going down you pink-haired brat, you're coming with me!", he yelled.

Seeing the danger, Happy tried to warn his pinkette human best friend of his. "Oh no! Watch out Natsu!"

In a dashing blink of speed, Valeria showed up in between Natsu and Bora who were both equally surprised of her sudden appearance out of nowhere, and slowly swung her staff at the rogue Mage's Fire Magic spell after the latter made his last blow with a red Magic circle appearing.

"I don't think so! **Stalagmite Fire...** ", she cheerfully retorted with a grin on her face.

Bora frantically panics for his pathetic life in complete shock and surprise as a large amount of power started to glow, as it began to engulf him in a blind flash of light, realizing that his Fire Magic spell has been overwhelmed by her own Fire Magic spell. "Th-this can't be happening! No! It can't end like this! W-W-W-W-W-Wh-who the hell are you woman?!"

Then a massive explosion of fiery blaze had occurred that completely destroyed the already heavily damaged surrounding area, nearly half of Hargeon that was seen by the people thinking in panic that a dragon had breathed out its powerful fire breath. Such spell was seen or noticed by nearly everyone throughout Fiore and some few neighboring countries or even the Alvarez Empire in a brief glimpse, wondering what it was.

That sent Bora flying into the skies completely charred like an overcooked roast pig with his almost all of clothes burned off and greatly injured from the full backfire of his Spell and will later come back crashing into the ground with a large thud.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!", he yelled in pain.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy, and also what's left of Bora's men could only gape in surprise and awe in a form of jaw-dropping and eyes bulging after witnessing Valeria's over-powerful fire attack on Bora as the woman in a stereotypical witch attire, still brandishing her staff, introduced herself of who she is with a small hint of her pride of an Alvarez Mage.

"I'm Valeria Autumn, a proud wizard from the West who just sent your sorry ass burnt, Bora the Prominence. I told you I would roast you alive and you got it.", she declared with a mischievous quip.

"I dunno who's gone really overboard? The real Salamander or that witch?", one of Bora's remaining thugs asked, which most of his companions answered both in a sweat-drop manner.

Soon, a large battalion of Fiore Kingdom soldiers in mailed armor wielding large shields and spears led by a military officer in full body armor coming towards the destroyed site after getting tipped off by the townspeople witnessing the battle between two Fire Mages.

"Oh no, the military!...", Lucy noticed in panic before all of a sudden Natsu grabbed her hand alongside Valeria's and ran like hell there's no tomorrow.

"Oh crap, we gotta get out of here!", the Fire Dragon Slayer panicked as he kept running.

"Aye!", Happy agreed as he kept pace with his human friends.

"Hey! Where are you taking me, Natsu!?", Lucy asked out loud while beginning to pick up the pace and ran along with them.

"D-d-don't drag me into this!", the former Magic King's apprentice yelled red-faced for being grabbed in her hand by the Fire Dragon Slayer. _Then again, I made a very destructive finisher on Bora... I really need to control my power's potency more often. Guess I have to choice but to follow them. Hopefully it won't end up in an international incident..._ , she thought.

"You said you wanted in to Fairy Tail?", Natsu asked while running. "...Then let's get going!", he said with a smile.

Lucy then warmly smiled at the Fire Dragon Slayer's statement, "Okay!"

"I'm only coming with you guys because I don't want to get arrested!", Val defended herself if they thought she's going to join the guild her country had targeted, then they should think again but she had no choice in the matter anyway since they're on the run.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy simply shrugged off her justification of following them to Fairy Tail anyways and kept on running as fast as they can from the pursuing soldiers of the Fiore Kingdom in the midst of the destroyed town of Hargeon.

However, something tells the female Alvarez Mage within her heart and conscience that give it a try for once, joining this Fairy Tail and see how it turned out to be compared to life with colleagues and acquaintances at the Alvarez Empire.

But this is her path she choose in her own free will and she will continue walking on.

Oh well, it is definitely an irony of an irony after all...

* * *

 **Author's Note: It would appear I finished the first and oneshot chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is done and hopefully a new update might be coming around soon if you guys liked it. :D Especially with Valeria Autumn, my main OC from the Alvarez Empire. Guess, I have a thing or two with classical wizards in robes. XD If there's any ideas and suggestions for it. Be my guest.**

 **Meanwhile I will be waiting for the update of Fairy Tail manga chapters of the Alvarez Empire arc which is getting quite interesting I would say. Especially the Spriggan 12 and their powers and personalities that made them intriguing characters and hopefully that they lived up to the hype but then again, we all know what happened to bad guys at the hands of the protagonists in the end.**

 **For the identity of Zeref who is only known as Emperor Spriggan of the Alvarez Empire and in Ishgar as the dreaded Black Wizard himself, Valeria just didn't know of it yet until the Tenrou Island arc in the future chapters to come. Due to the fact, Zeref rarely dabbles in politics unless necessary, preferring to stay beyond the capital, or even the empire itself, like in Tenrou Island as the main example while his ministers and generals do the majority of the work.**

 **Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo hello there guys! I'm back and the second chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is here after dealing with the writer's block again as usual. Thank you for your first reviews and support for this Fairy Tail fanfic. I appreciate it and hoped that I could improve the story even more. This chapter features Valeria Autumn, a Mage from Alvarez being introduced into Fairy Tail with Lucy by Natsu and Happy, and things got often a little twist.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters. They respectively belong to Hiro Mashima, the author of the manga series. Same goes for A-1 Animation Studios and FUNimation for the old anime adaptation that I sorely missed and still need of accepting the current incarnation from 2014-2015.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D**

* * *

Chapter 2

 _Somewhere in the outskirts of East Forest of Magnolia to Fairy Tail_

Lying against a tree in the middle of the night, Valeria Autumn was keeping watch while Natsu, Happy and Lucy slept after they made camp after they ran away from the Fiore Royal Army garrison stationed in Hargeon Town. Lucy slept in Natsu's sleeping bag and Natsu and Happy were laying on the ground, snoring near the burning campfire to keep them warm.

The female Alvarez Mage then checked to see if they were safe from any hostile beasts or bandits lurking around in the forest before unsheathing her sword that she never even used in battle yet so far. It was a slender but strong Magic longsword with pale but beautiful glowing steel only wielded by her and no one else. Dimaria was the one who encouraged her to forge a sword of her own that was made out of rare but potent material from the meteorite that fell from the sky of Earth Land provided by August.

While the orange-haired young woman can use it for close-range offense whenever she feel like it or not depending on the nature of armed combat, the true name of the sword will only be revealed if she unleashes its potential Magical power by invoking the powerful words written in ancient Alakitasian runes that no Mage in Ishgar can decipher.

Valeria muttered fondly of her former mentor during the times when she studied under him, "Master..."

"What did you say, Valeria?", a voice called out to her which turned to be Natsu who just woke up from his sleeping as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"It's nothing, Natsu. Sorry if I wake you up.", the former Magic King's apprentice said in apology while unsheathing back her sword and put it away.

The pink-haired teen simply smiled while closing his eyes, "Nah, don't you worry about it."

Valeria smiled a little before asking a question in curiosity, "Hey, Natsu. Where are we and where are we heading?"

"We are in the East Forest of Magnolia, the town where Fairy Tail is in, Valeria. By tomorrow, we'll be at the front gate of the guild.", Natsu replied about their current location they are in.

"So, what are Fairy Tail wizards like? Just like you perhaps considering your guild's reputation.", the orange-haired girl wondered out loud about the nature of the Mages that make up Fiore's infamous guild.

The Fire Dragon Slayer stated about his guild with a happy smirk on his face, "It's quite a crowd and everyone in the guild is quite strong. You and Lucy will definitely fit right in."

"I'm... I'm not sure, Natsu. Lucy here is the one who wanted to join Fairy Tail and I intend to travel around Fiore after I arrived in Hargeon from the west.", Valeria said with doubts of joining the guild her country tried to attack the continent for its most sacred artifact.

"Oh come on Valeria! Fairy Tail is the best guild! You should at least give it a chance and maybe you'll like it there!", Natsu insisted after displaying an incredulous look on his face at the response from someone powerful like her refusing the wonderful offer of joining his guild.

Surprised of the Fire Dragon Slayer's insistence, Val simply said with a small sigh. "Alright Natsu. I will check out Fairy Tail when we get to Magnolia tomorrow whether if I want to join your guild or not."

Soon after being pleased that the girl in stereotypical wizard garb and a hat agreed to him, Natsu went back to sleep and snored loudly again next to Lucy and Happy which the female Alvarez Mage simply chuckled before speaking to herself, "Well then, I better rest up for tomorrow. Good night... everyone..."

She then leaned against the tree, tilting her pointy hat to cover her face with while crossing her arms next to her staff she head and fell asleep, enjoying the warmth the robes of her clothing had provided her for the cold night.

* * *

 _At the Magic Council Headquarters, Era_

Within the large city of Era where an old and imposing palace that was made from light blue and white stones is the main headquarters of the Magic Council, there lays a massive blue Magic circle where nine members of the main ruling body of the Magic World stand on top of it on each small blue Magic circle for a certain meeting they attended all because of Fairy Tail, the main source of their everyday headaches and the latest incident is at Hargeon.

"Those idiots in Fairy Tail have gone and done it again! This time, they destroyed an entire port!", one of the members yelled out in anger.

Another member nodded in agreement and commented, "Indeed, they really done it this time."

The rest of the members then angrily yelled all of the troubles Fairy Tail has caused them.

"What's the matter with them?!"

"I won't be surprised if a town disappears one day!"

"Don't jinx it... I feel like they might really do that."

"Anyways, I reported to the government that they did it to arrest the criminal Bora."

"Geez..."

The blue-haired young man with a strange tattoo on his right face dressed himself in elegant yet simple robes; consisting of a long white frock-coat with black stripes across the edges and on the upper part of the arms, a decorated standing collar, large straps connected to decorated buckles closing the inducement on the front over a dark shirt, and matching pants and shoes. He also sported a ring on his right middle finger, and usually had the medallion attesting his status as one of the Ten Wizard Saints around his neck, hidden by his jacket's collar. "I'm actually quite fond of those fools, personally it would be boring in this world, don't you think?", he spoke in a cheerful look.

"They may behave like fools but we mustn't forget that they're also an extremely capable lot.", the short elderly man wearing long brown sleeve shirt with vertical black lines, a chief apron and a black three-spiked hat spoke in defense of Fairy Tail with the rest of Council members reluctantly agreeing with his statement about that said guild's strong and talented Mages.

The dark purple haired young woman in her short half-sleeveless kimono then spoke to the blue-haired man standing next to her, "Okay, okay Siegrain. Yajima. We quite understand. Anyways, I'm more interested in such large Magical power spike that is nearly off the charts emanating from that unknown female wizard."

Hearing their fellow Councilor's comment, every member of the Magic Council fell silent and recall such a large Magical power they detected at that time in the Hargeon incident. Never before in their lifetime and the history of Fiore that there would be a Mage of such a young age possess such that much immense Magical power like her as even budding prodigies in Magic and rising Mages had to spend years in training to become stronger in Magic and skill and building up their Magical power not since the Western Continent of Alakitasia ruled by the Alvarez Empire that the Magic Council has absolutely no authority of or any influence/control there which is filled with incredibly powerful Mages there, notably the Spriggan 12 whose strength are on par or greater with the Ten Wizard Saints of Ishgar.

Soon, a blue Magic circle appeared before them in the center, showing Valeria Autumn with her wooden staff and dressed in her stereotypical wizard attire and a hat which was a rare sight due to female Mages preferring modern fashion tastes seen in Sorcerer Weekly compared to the classics. They watch her use of her even more powerful Fire Magic Spell on Bora that overpowered his own Spell sent him flying as they could tell hers was much more stronger than his.

Then the Magic Council then watched her battle against the horde of thugs under Bora's employ and were quite amazed of how well the Mage she was and how she easily defeated the thugs without even breaking a sweat with her display of Elemental-type Magics through her staff in long range area-of-effect Spells. However, they noticed a sword sheathed on her side and was never used at all which was confusing for someone like her. And the most of all, she fought her enemies in a calm manner and even smoking on her pipe afterwards that left some of the Council members deadpanned or sweat-dropping.

The tall, gray-haired elderly man with a considerably long beard, as well as a mustache, has pointy ears and has a habit of keeping only one of his dark-colored eyes open at a time, and also wears multiple layers of robes, much like the other members of the Magic Council, and on top of his head he wears a small bat-shaped ornament as he then paid more of his attention to the unknown female Mage's eyes though could not read them at all thanks to her carefree nature she displayed yet he knew better to know a person's face or two when he see one.

Inwardly he was pleased at least one of the youngsters in the current generation of today like Valeria Autumn had respected ancient traditions that traces behind the origins of Mages in the first place mainly the robes and a hat along with a staff.

"Whoever this young woman is, we should pay close attention to her and Fairy Tail.", the old man said in declaration that soon got the attention of the eight members of the Council after watching the Lacrima recording vision.

Siegrain questioned him with a raise of his eyebrow, "How come Org? Is this young woman a threat to our peace and society?"

The elderly man shook his head and said, "No, it's just that she seems different from all the other wizards."

"What do you mean, Org?", Yajima asked his fellow senior member.

Org explained to him and his fellow Councilors. "I don't know Yajima but this young woman's large power scale is off the charts judging from Ultear's statement about her and would be on the high caliber that of a S-Class wizard including her mastery of Elemental Magics compared to what Siegrain has accomplished. In any case, we shall observe her and Fairy Tail too as well for now. Meeting adjourned."

Then the meeting has been adjourned with the members of the Magic Council pondering what will her presence, a Mage from the Alvarez Empire which they didn't even know yet so far, affect the continent of Ishgar means...

* * *

 _In Magnolia Town, Fairy Tail Guildhall_

Arriving at the town of Magnolia after a long trip, Natsu, Happy and Lucy are at the entrance of the Fairy Tail guildhall itself where the blonde girl gets to join the very same guild in Fiore as they stood in front of the two-story high pagoda building that had a sign of two fairies on each side with the name _Fairy Tail_ in purple letters along with its banners with two large wooden doors on it.

Happy smiled cheerfully while welcoming as he said, "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy and Valeria!"

 _So this is Fairy Tail... The guildhall looks pretty impressive. Huh? What's this? I sensed a very powerful magical presence here underneath this building somewhere... Almost similar to the one I sensed in Natsu... Yet that presence feels warm... Could it be... Lumen Histoire?..._ , Valeria wondered in her thoughts on her first impression of Fairy Tail and also have sensed an unknown but powerful presence within the Fairy Tail guildhall which is safely assumed to be the only very thing her country was after for.

Lucy, on the other hand, was admiring the building and couldn't believe that she was at the front door of Fairy Tail where her dreams of becoming a Mage of such prestige guild is near to fruition at last.

Before the two girls could even speak to Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer kicked down the door open while shouting out loud, "Raaagh! We're back and alive!" The talking blue cat flew behind and repeated the greeting, "Aye, we're home."

Everyone in the guildhall saw Natsu and Happy coming in at the door after hearing them and began to welcome him back in quite a friendly, cheerful, and outgoing manner.

"Yo!"

"What's up?"

"Welcome back!"

"Nice trip today huh?"

Lucy and Valeria entered the guildhall's entrance and looked at hundreds of Mages in Fairy Tail who are feasting and drinking together at a bar. But sure enough, she and Lucy are in for a big surprise when Natsu approached a table where a couple of friends laughing at a couple feet away.

Then a slim man with dark hair that was pointing upward and had rodent teeth shape in his upper central tooth spoke to Natsu while his pals laughed heartily, "So I heard you went all out in Hargeon, Natsu. You had to go and star-"

Suddenly the pinkette teen kicked that man flying and crashed him into a table, destroying and some few chairs, plates and ale mugs in it.

"Wait, why did you do that for?!...", Lucy exclaimed after witnessing the altercation.

Val can only sweat-drop at Natsu's action towards his own guildmate. _Is that his way of saying hello?..._ , she thought in a deadpanned look.

Very pissed off, Natsu raised his fist into the air in anger and angrily shouted in an accusing tone, "The Salamander info you gave was a lie, wasn't it Krov?! I'm gonna kick your butt!"

Krov gotten back up from the sudden kick on the chin in a pissed tone and angrily retorted, "Don't get mad at me, you damn idiot! I'm not the one to blame here! I'm just passing along the rumor I heard!"

"It was just a rumor?!", Natsu exclaimed.

"Oh you wanna fight? Let's go!", Krov taunted.

With a fighting ringing bell sound came out of nowhere as the two began to fight each other around the guild, escalating it into a full-blown guild brawl between all members of Fairy Tail in a pissed mood, causing much more damage in the guildhall!

Even Happy didn't help much as he was caught in the middle of it, ended as a pinball into other people to get involved into the chaotic riot.

 _It looks like a freaking riot here in this Ishgarian guild!..._ , Val thought in a wide-eyed face at what's currently happening in front of her, _Even Bakel wasn't dumb enough to start a brawl in the barracks just for the sake of fun in fighting..._

Various objects of any kind flew throughout all over the place, people regardless of skin color and gender jumping about picking fights among themselves and the mayhem ensued.

Meanwhile, Lucy was still in her happy and surprised mood as she watches the Fairy Tail members beating each other up with fists and anything they pick up as a melee weapon like tables and chairs mostly. "Wow, I'm actually standing inside the Fairy Tail guildhall.", she commented before turning to Valeria. "Hey, Val. Umm... What do you think of this place?"

"I... I don't know, Lucy. I would think this is some kind of brick joke here, or there's something that we haven't seen yet.", the female Alvarez Mage responded after displaying a blank indifferent expression at the guild brawl.

"Hmm... Maybe you might be right about that.", the blonde Mage mused.

Then a spiky black haired teenage man with blue eyes in his boxers that revealed his dark blue Fairy Tail mark on his right pectoral muscle and a tight six-pack abs along with a sword-shaped necklace and metal bracelets as he growled, "So, Natsu's finally made it back, huh?"

This is Gray Fullbuster. Unfortunately however, he has a bad habit... of taking off his clothes.

The blonde girl freaked out at him wearing only boxers while the orange-haired woman simply look unamused at his antics.

"It's time we settle things once and for all!", Gray yelled as he walked boldly over to the fight where Natsu is currently into.

A brunette young lady with brown eyes and a large bust in her blue bikini top, brown pants and high heels along with a few bracelets on each wrist and two band on each upper arm as she was looking over the almost naked teen while finishing her glass of wine before she spoke, "Gray, your clothes."

This is Cana Alberona, Fairy Tail's heaviest drinker.

Gray turned around with a shocked pose after overhearing her words. "Oh crap! I didn't have time for that!"

The brunette lady sighed in annoyance, "You see why I never date the men here. None of them got class." as she started to drink from a ale keg which caused Lucy and Valeria to look surprised yet indifferent at what she saw.

The blonde woman gaped at the brunette woman chugging down a full barrel of ale down her throat while Valeria was startled too before they started watching the other side of the brawl, Gray kicked the table and demanded Natsu to come and fight him but the latter retorted that he should put on some clothes first.

"It's only noon and you boys are whining like spoiled babies!", the tall muscular tanned man with white waved spiky hair and dark eyes with a stitched scar at his left eye and wearing a dark blue Japanese high school hooligan outfit with a kanji symbol behind his jacket spoke before raising his fist and shouted, "Real men talk with their fists! You want me to prove me to ya?"

This is Elfman who believes that any problem can be solved with fists alone.

"Please don't tell me he's encouraging them.", Val and Lucy said together deadpanned before watching Natsu and Gray knocking that large man flying together for interrupting in the middle of their brawl.

"Stay out of this Elfman!", the two teens yelled together before resuming their brawl.

"Okay now that's just sad...", the Celestial Mage commented.

"Geez, it's so noisy around here, huh?", said the orange-haired teen who was wearing clear sunglasses, a green coat with a wide collar and white fur around it, light red t-shirt with a black skull that a metal x on it with its mouth open, black pants and brown shoes along three earrings on his left ear and a couple of rings on his left hand as he wrapped his arms around with two hot chicks fawning over him sitting at the table.

This man is Loke, a lady-killer and someone high-ranked on the bachelor's list in Sorcerer Weekly.

"Oh great... a playboy...", the orange-haired Alvarez Mage muttered in an annoyed tone when she noticed him and watched him look upset at the moment he got hit by a stray mug hitting him on the head before doing the 'cool guy' pose in front of his girls and joining in the brawl.

"Good luck, Loke!", the two girls said together sweetly as they watched their man involving himself in the brawl which the blonde girl was not amused as she crossed out Loke's face from the magazine, signifying that an image of a Fairy Tail Mage in the bachelor's list is corrupted.

Valeria then sensed something off about the Fairy Tail Mage who's a playboy with girls and wondered in her thoughts. _There's something strange and wrong with this man despite how I look at him. He doesn't feel human at all for some reason and his life force is... fading? What's going on with this guy?..._

Having witnessed the entire brawl in Fairy Tail and finished her thoughts about Loke, Lucy commented to herself under her breath, "This place is completely nuts. Val, are we the only normal ones here?"

"Pretty much Lucy. Pretty much. I guess in our case, you and I are the sane ones out of this bunch in this guild.", the orange-haired girl said in agreement about being sane people around in the middle of the chaos.

Then a sweet calm voice was heard as Lucy turned around to see who that is and recognized her. "Hello there. Are you two new?"

The one behind that voice was revealed to be a woman with long white hair with a small pony tail on her head, wearing a red sleeveless dress with a pink bow on her chest part and her waist, and high heels along with a pendant that have an oval blue gem around her neck and her eyes matches that of the gem's color. And she was carrying a tray of ale mug and plate filled with food as this was her job as the guild's waitress.

"Oh my gosh! It's the one and only Mirajane in the flesh!", Lucy said in excitement like the fangirl she is which the silver-haired woman smiled sweetly.

The former apprentice of the Magic King simply rolled her eyes at her friend's statement towards Sorcerer Weekly's top model from the issue they've read during their time at Hargeon but didn't say anything at all.

The blonde girl then pointed out the ongoing fight in the background. "Um, uh... shouldn't someone try to stop this or something?"

Mirajane herself then looked at what's currently going on in the guildhall. "This happens a lot lately. So I just let it go and besides-" and she was interrupted after being hit by someone thrown at her, revealing to be Elfman being thrown by someone in the brawl.

"-it's more fun this way.", she finished with a smile before passing out unconscious with a bump evidently appearing on her head along with her soul about to leave her body.

"AAH! No! Don't die Mirajane!", Lucy panicked while Valeria can only sigh at the ongoing all-out brawl which didn't help much in the first impression Natsu told her about joining an Ishgarian guild filled with rowdy, reckless and undisciplined Mages.

Then suddenly, Gray was sent crashing into the girls' direction, all completely naked like the day he was born! Thanks to Natsu who took his rival's underwear right under his nose during their clash.

"Hahaha! Lookie what I got!", the Fire Dragon Slayer said as he twirled around Gray's undergarments.

"Hey! Give me back my underwear!", Gray exclaimed angrily before noticing Lucy and Valeria, the former panicked and the latter simply lowered her pointy hat down to cover her eyes at the sight of the buck-naked teen in front of them, and asked with no sense of shame at all. "Hey excuse me, miss. Mind if I borrow your underwear?"

In response to Gray's stupid request by instinct, the orange-haired girl struck him in the stomach with her staff swung in one strike like a baseball bat hitting a home-run that sent him flying back into the fray, yelling in anger. "You should know better than to ask a lady that, you pervert!"

Out of nowhere, Loke picked up Lucy in a bridal fashion, "How rude of these guys. Don't they know a woman has needs-" but was quickly struck flying by a quick uppercut by Elfman as the tall man then talks something men and fists loudly before getting kicked away by Natsu, "I told you to butt out Elfman!"

"Aye!", Happy said in his agreement with his friend's statement.

"Ugh, look how noisy it is. So much for a relaxing drink.", Cana said in a tone of annoyance, not even looking at the brawl from the bar she's standing at as she turned around and held a glowing blue card with a green Magic seal appearing. "Alright, that's enough. It's about time this came to an end."

And in response to the brunette's statement, nearly everyone else in Fairy Tail were ready in using their Magic too in the brawl, with Magic circles appearing in their arms and hands to ready their Spells.

Seeing that the brawl has gone a little bit too far now that the Fairy Tail Mages are going to use Magic for a serious fight, the Alvarez Mage had decided to step in and intervene before things escalated. "Lucy, watch over Mirajane. I'm going to put some order and discipline on these guys..."

Twirling around her staff, Valeria slammed it on the ground that unleashes a glowing light shockwave orb of Magical energy with a white Magic circle which briefly knocked down other members of the guild and startled some of them who had managed to remain their solid foot on the ground and turned their attention towards her after realizing that it was her doing.

"Oh crap, Valeria got the whole attention of the guild in the middle of the brawl!", Happy wondered out loud upon seeing one of his human friends appearing to challenge all of Fairy Tail by herself.

"Val...", Lucy muttered and hoped her friend didn't get herself into trouble for intervening.

"Well, well, look what we got here fellas. It seems that this new girl here is gonna get serious too.", Cana said as she smirked at the sight of the orange haired girl in a classic wizard robes and a hat and wielding a wooden staff and not mention her longsword she often carried along yet was apparently never used.

Natsu grinned in response to the brunette lady's words of remark as he readies his fists covered with flames. "Oh yeah, that's Valeria, one of my new friends, Cana. And from what I've seen her in a fight, she's quite strong! I'm gonna ask her to fight me at some point later on when I have the chance. Hehehe."

The young woman doesn't look quite amused of the pinkette teen's comment with tick marks on her head before smiling sweetly, "Natsu, if you know what's good for you, don't you push your luck. You might really regret that if you do."

The Fire Dragon Slayer was slightly flinched at her irked words after she was provoked but didn't say anything more now afterwards.

Like the rest of the others in the guild, Gray looked on with interest on the casual-looking girl with a broken blade before forming ice from his hands with his white blue Magic seal. "Quite strong, you say huh? Wonder what kind of Magic she uses. That release of Magic power from her kinda ticked me off. It looked like Light Magic all of a sudden."

"You better watch out guys. Valeria is going to use her Spells on all of you from a distance if you do.", Happy warned them about her use of area-of-effect type Spells much to their surprise and confusion.

"Attacking people from a distance isn't manly!", Elfman yelled as he formed a purple Magic circle around his arm, transforming into a formidable-looking stone arm ready for a real heavy bruising.

Loke merely chuckled at Valeria making her debut in the guild as he said while preparing his Magic through his ring with a green Magic circle appearing. "So, the new girl think she can call us out like that with that wooden staff of hers?"

"No, but...", the orange haired Mage said before powering up her staff with white Magical energy once more. "... I suggest you all back down now or things can get a little bit messy around here, don't you agree? I hate cleaning up the mess when this is done.", she said with a playful wink and a serious face.

Everyone else in the guild then stared wide-eye and jaw-drop at Valeria as many of them had questions about her, overhearing how Happy claims her to be very strong, and her Magical pressure that nearly knocked them off her feet and boldly facing them in the midst of their all-out guild brawl yet acting so calm and carefree.

Just who is this woman?

Before anyone make a move in a tensed atmosphere with the Fairy Tail members almost finished readying their respective Magics with their many colored Magic circles and Valeria started to slam her staff on the ground once more, a giant foot stomped in the middle of the brawl!

 **"That's enough! Will you fools stop bickering like children?!"** , the large dark figure said in a booming voice that his appearance made everyone stop their fight this instant immediately before anything worse could happen.

"That's huge!", Lucy remarked with a face of looking like she's going to cry.

Val was surprised at the sight of a giant man too as well. _Such immense Magical power coming from him... He's way far beyond my league given from his old age and experience! Could he be one of Ishgar's Ten Wizard Saints?... Compared in par or greater with the Spriggan 12 although my former master's strength is much more greater than any of them combined._ , she thought upon staring at his intimidating figure, feeling slightly nervous and powered down her staff.

"Oh, I didn't know you were still here, Master.", Mirajane said warmly at the giant man.

"Wait?! Master?!", the blonde woman exclaimed.

 _He's Master of the Fairy Tail guild around here...Well that makes a whole lot sense after all..._ , the Alvarez Mage thought. "That's the Guild Master of Fairy Tail?...", she questioned out loud.

"Haha! Everyone backed down! Guess, it looks like I win this rou-", Natsu said happily when he's going to claim victory, that is until the giant foot stomped on him which both girls thinks that the Fire Dragon Slayer deserved that for starting the brawl in the first place.

The Master then turned his attention on Lucy and Valeria he stood in front of them and said, **"Hmm? What's this? It seems we have new recruits."**

"Aah! Yes sir! I am!", Lucy said it quickly as it was evident that she was quite intimidated by the sight of the Master of Fairy Tail himself while Val simply raised her shoulders that says "Maybe I am or maybe I am not. Not yet anyway." as she lowered down her staff's Magical power slowly.

Then the giant had suddenly let out a loud shout, appearing that he let out some energy as he shrunk into a small old man wearing an outfit akin to a jester with a hat with pointy ears before he raised his hand in greeting to her, "Nice to meet you two."

"Whoa, he's tiny!", Lucy exclaimed after calming down a bit.

"So he's in charge of this guild, right?", Val questioned in slight surprise after holstering her staff.

"He certainly is. This is Makarov, the current Master of Fairy Tail.", Mirajane answered with her usual smile.

Then the former Magic King's apprentice and the blonde woman watched as the Master jumped high, doing flips around to the railing on the second floor, though accidentally hit his head before recovering and straightened up as he cleared his throat before all the members of the Fairy Tail guild, holding a stack of papers on his left hand as he is about to make an announcement.

Makarov then started scolding all the guild members for the high number of recent incidents that some of them caused he received from the Magic Council, ranging from Elfman punching a VIP on an escorting mission, Gray running around naked after completing the Job, and Cana billing the Council for a huge drinking bill and of course, Natsu's latest destructive incident at Hargeon Town, though not counting Valeria's involvement in it because the reports believed that the massive fiery explosion caused by her Fire Magic Spell's Stalagmite Fire on Bora was of the pink-haired teen's much to her relief.

"You know, all you fools do is make the Council mad at me!", the Master continued as many looked down in shame with the former trembling a bit. "Even so...", he said as he started burning the stack of papers he's holding with Fire Magic. "...to heck with the Council."

The now-aflame papers were thrown by Makarov which Natsu caught it with his mouth when he jumped up and ate them like a morning snack.

"Listen up!", Makarov said with everyone paying attention and listening seriously including Lucy and Valeria as he continued, "The power to overcome reason is born from reason itself. Magic is not a miraculous power. It's the synchronized and incarnated form of the flow of energy within us and in nature. It requires willpower and concentration. You pour your entire soul into whatever Magic you do. Worrying about the watchful eyes of the higher-ups won't improve your Magic. Don't be afraid of those Council fools! Follow the path you believe in! That's what makes the Fairy Tail guild number one!"

The diminutive Master of Fairy Tail then pointed his right hand up with an L shape at its index finger and thumb.

The two girls then saw everyone point their hands up with the same hand sign, cheering and roaring loudly at their Master's magnificent speech as Lucy can't help but smile as she watched them grinning and cheering while Valeria couldn't help smiling herself for some reason at the elderly Fairy Tail Guild Master's words whose wisdom might be on par or rivaled that of her former mentor August.

Meanwhile after giving his great speech, Makarov eyed on the one of the newest recruits to his guild, and had sensed something strange coming off from her. _Hmm... Just who is this young woman? Her Magical power is quite immense for her young age and she might be a bit above Erza's level if I am not wrong. Best keep an eye on her... Oh well, too bad she won't be showing such hot body with the curves and figure hidden under her robes!_ , he thought with serious and perverted looks on his face at the same time.

When the huge commotion has ended in a short notice and everyone returned back to the way they used to almost as if the all-out guild brawl had never happened at all, Lucy had her Fairy Tail guild mark colored pink stamped on her right hand courtesy by Mirajane.

"There you go. You're now officially a member of the Fairy Tail guild.", she said sweetly as the blond girl was ecstatic that she finally get to join the guild she dreamed of joining while looking at her new Fairy Tail mark with pride.

"And what about you Valeria?", Mirajane asked the Alvarez Mage if she wanted a Fairy Tail guild mark too as well.

"Actually, I'm not joining the Guild.", Val bluntly said much to the surprise of several members overhearing her with a look of shock at someone like her refusing to join Fiore's infamous guild including Natsu who expressed outrage the most because he was the one who tried to convince her in the first place.

"Y-you won't be joining the guild, Val?...", Lucy muttered in a sad tone that her friend didn't want to join Fairy Tail like she did.

"WHAT?! You're not joining Fairy Tail! You can't be serious! No one refuses to join our guild and gets away with it!", Natsu yelled which the young woman gave a look of "Really? Is this some sort of 'Join or Get Beat Up' thing here?"

"Oh why not? Didn't you come to the guild with Lucy after Natsu and Happy brought you here?", the barmaid questioned in wonder.

The orange-haired young woman then stated out the facts bluntly, "I only come here to see Fairy Tail for myself personally by their insistence of course. For starters, this guild had kinda left me in a bad impression since Natsu here had started the whole guild brawl after claiming that it's the best and it seems that this guild had no discipline and order in controlling your own ranks' rowdy behavior and reckless destruction and brawling until your Guild Master had to put an end to it personally. No offense but sorry. It doesn't suit me well."

"Guess that explained why she wasn't so amused of our fighting back then...", Cana commented whilst chugging down another large barrel of ale.

"I wonder what will Erza say about this if she heard that?...", Loke muttered in horror.

"Her criticisms are... too manly!", Eflman exclaimed with a look of hurt face from her words.

"She does have a point although she didn't even pointed the positive part from my encouraging speech to the guild... Looks like I won't be seeing more of her hot body hidden by her robes then... Such a shame...", Makarov muttered in a sigh.

"Great job Charcoal Breath. You just made our guild look bad in front of her because of your attitude and now she won't join us.", Gray mused, overhearing the whole thing while smoking cigarettes.

Instead of lashing out angrily at Gray, Natsu felt a bit ashamed of himself at his stupid mistake for giving Val the wrong impression of Fairy Tail unintentionally after realizing about the all-out brawl earlier and sheepishly walked away to the Request Board to kill some time away while he's in the guild with Happy.

"Oh my, you must be quite a judging character Valeria. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.", Mira simply said as she walked away serving more drinks and food to the other members of the guild nearby.

"Hey, Natsu! Look, I'm a member of Fairy Tail now!", Lucy said cheerfully as she walked towards Natsu and Happy standing at the Request Board filled with parchments of Job requests along with few other members of the guild looking at it too, wondering what Job they will take for a reward or two, wanting to show her guild mark.

"Uh huh. That's nice. Welcome to the guild _Luigi_.", the pinkette Fire Dragon Slayer replied in a bored tone without even looking back at her while staring blankly at the Request Board, where Mages pick any of the Jobs listed on the board that each presents a unique challenge and a different pay rate.

"It's Lucy! Not Luigi!", the blonde girl shot back angrily at Natsu's mispronunciation of her name.

 _I share the same feeling Lucy. I was often mistaken to be called 'Valyria' instead of Valeria by my colleagues at Alvarez often times..._ , the ex-Magic King's apprentice thought to herself deadpanned.

Cooling down her anger short-ward after, Lucy then wondered out loud to what Natsu's been staring to at a moment ago. "Hmm? A Request Board?"

"That's right, Lucy. You can choose whatever Jobs are available here.", Natsu answered.

"Each has their own reward. The harder ones have higher pay!", Happy pointed out, joining in the conversation.

After understanding the concepts of the Jobs taken by Mages in Ishgar unlike in Alakitasia, Valeria then watches Natsu found a Job Request that caught his interest in his eyes with Happy and Lucy looking at the parchment he took.

"Whoa! Check it out, Happy! A Job to take out a bunch of thieves! And it's for 160,000 Jewels! ", the pinkette said with excitement on his face written all over it as he held the request paper in his hands.

 _Well, he takes any Job as long as it involves fighting.._. , Valeria thought before noticing a young boy named Romeo arguing with Master Makarov at the bar table that conversation between them soon got some of the members of the guild's attention especially Natsu, Happy and Lucy.

The little boy with black hair and in simple t-shirt and shorts standing front of the Master, asking. "Hasn't my dad come back yet?"

"You're starting to get on my nerves, Romeo.", Makarov said in a hint of annoyance to the boy named Romeo. "You're the son of a wizard! Have faith in your father and just wait a little longer."

"But he said he's be back in three days. It's now over a week!", Romeo said worriedly.

"If I recall he took a Job at Mt. Hakobe.", the Master said while scratched his beard with his hand while the other holding his ale mug of beer.

"That's right and it's not far from here! It's not fair! Why won't anyone go look for him?!", the young boy whimpered on a brink of tears.

Having had enough of the boy's complaint and wanted some peace and quiet with his drinking, Makarov said. "Listen! Your old man is a wizard! And everyone here can take care of themselves. So why don't you just go home, have some milk and cookies, and wait?"

Lucy could not help but share the sympathetic glances along with some of the guild members were giving before watching Romeo punching the small old man in the head, yelling. "Jerk! I hate you all!" before running out off the guild in tears.

"That's gotta be rough on him...", the blonde Fairy Tail Mage sadly commented before she sat down.

Mira said while cleaning the ale bottle with a sigh, "The Master may have been harsh but he's also worried."

Suddenly a loud crash occurred that startled nearly some of the guild members including Valeria and Lucy, revealing to be Natsu slamming the Job Request he was holding back into the board in a pissed off look.

"Hey, Natsu! What do you think you're doing?! You almost broke the board!", a tall Native American shaman-looking man exclaimed in disbelief as he watched the pink-haired teen walking out of the slightly-damaged Request Board with Happy coming along.

The Fire Dragon Slayer took his backpack as an essential part of his travels on the road by foot and headed out in his certain destination with Happy while comforting Romeo with an affectionate rub on his head.

"Master, you're sure about this? He's definitely going up the mountain to save Macao.", the tall shaman man named Nab said, leaning against the counter of the bar with his left elbow as they watch Natsu and Happy leave together.

"When does that kid ever learn to grow up?", Krov nodded in agreement as he sipped on his beer quietly.

Nab agreed as well as he said, "Who knows? Going after Macao isn't gonna do anything except hurt his pride."

"No one can decide what someone else should do with their life, Nab. Just let him be...", Makarov with an x-shaped bandage on his face as a result of Romeo punching him in the face spoke with his left eye closed and a short sigh escaping his lips again.

"I wonder what got Natsu so upset lately like that?", Lucy wondered out loud before taking her seat next to Val and Mirajane.

"Probably because he and Romeo have a lot in common...", Mira said that caught Lucy's attention and Valeria too as well.

 _Something in common Natsu and Romeo have a lot in... Did he lose his father?_ , Val thought as the barmaid continued on.

"We may be members of Fairy Tail, but that doesn't mean we have our own problems. Each of us has been hurt, pained, or suffered a loss at some point in our lives.", the white-haired woman continued in a sad tone.

The former apprentice of August could not help but feel pity for the poor boy that he would end up being an orphan with no parent to take care of him should the man be found dead or alive in the middle of his Job and decided to help Natsu and Happy find this man Macao and bring him home dead or alive even though she's not even a member of Fairy Tail yet.

And it would appear Lucy had the same idea too and wanted to help them find the boy's father and bring him home as an official member of Fairy Tail.

After Valeria came to a decision and then turned to Mirajane in a serious look that caught the sweet smiling woman off guard who didn't see that coming, considering she now knew the orange-haired Mage's calm attitude in her debut at Fairy Tail despite her refusal to join the guild.

"Hey, can you do me a favor or two, Mirajane?", she simply said.

* * *

 _On route to Mt. Hakobe_

On a long road to Mt. Hakobe by carriage they managed to hire, Natsu was laying down on his seat with a sick look on his face in front of Lucy dressed in appropriate winter clothing and Happy along with Valeria who simply crossed her arms with her staff at her side as he asked the two girls sitting in front of him. "Why did you two come with us?"

"There's nothing wrong with us, coming along is there? Makes me feel sorry for you.", Lucy questioned.

"We've just came along to help that's all even though I'm not a member of your guild so far. And wow... That's a really sad case of motion sickness you've got there Natsu.", Val commented.

Not arguing with any of the two girls' statement, the Fire Dragon Slayer continued groaning and moaning under the movement of their ride with Happy trying to comfort his best friend.

Closing her eyes and face looked blanked out, the female Alvarez Mage then recalled back on when Mirajane told her and Lucy of Natsu's past before tagging along with him and the talking blue cat. Not to mention the specifics about the Job Macao took prior to his disappearance at Mt. Hakobe also.

Mira explained, "Many years ago, Natsu's dad... left and never came back. Not his real father, I mean the one who raised him. He was an actual dragon."

"No way! Natsu was raised by a dragon?!", Lucy exclaimed in surprise about the relationship between Natsu and Igneel, a dragon father to a human son.

Valeria almost nearly spit out her ale mug she drank after hearing about the mythical creature of immeasurable strength Natsu has been looking for was his father or probably a foster father since he is his adopted son. As for her drinking habit, it was developed when she first tasted it and liked it during her lone travel around the country before the events at Hargeon Town.

The white-haired woman nodded while continued cleaning the dishes. "The Dragon found Natsu alone in the forest one day. He taught him how to talk, read, as well as use Magic. But one day, the dragon just disappeared and never came back."

"Huh? So, that dragon must have been Igneel...", Lucy spoke up softly in a sympathetic tone with her foreign friend sharing the same feeling and both wondered in their thoughts. _Why would he leave Natsu like that? That sounds pretty harsh to have left him..._

"That's right and Natsu really looks forward to seeing Igneel again.", Mira said with a smile on her face again before adding. "Isn't that cute, don't you think?"

Lucy gave a small face of sympathy about Natsu and it strengthened her resolve to help him find Macao for Romeo's sake while Valeria shared the same feeling too and decided that it's time to ask for information.

"Uh huh, yeah I think. And about the Job request. What did Macao, the boy's father took before he disappeared at Mt. Hakobe?", the female Alvarez Mage asked, now in a serious mode with a changing of subject with Lucy wanted to know too as well.

Seeing the serious look on her eyes, the bar waitress of Fairy Tail replied. "Well, the Job request Macao took before he disappeared a week ago was to slay over 20 Vulcans, ape-like primates that utilizes Take Over Magic to steal human bodies in order to survive living at Mt. Hakobe, a frozen wasteland in Fiore and the reward is high. Why'd you ask?"

"Oh nothing. It wouldn't hurt to be prepared for what lies ahead in Mt. Hakobe am I right? Come on Lucy. We better catch up to Natsu and Happy. They may need backup on this one. Wear some attire suited for winter climate if you have one. And don't worry Mirajane I won't forget the favors I ask from you should I need it.", Valeria replied after receiving the answer from Mirajane much to the latter's confusion.

Then Mira watched the orange-haired girl in a classic wizard attire finished her drink as she put on her pointy hat and took her staff,and left the guildhall with Lucy following behind, leaving some of the Fairy Tail members including herself and also Master Makarov confused of Valeria's intentions of helping find their missing guildmate even though she didn't join the guild.

Back to the reality after the recollection, Valeria opened her eyes when the carriage came to a stop in the long road from Magnolia to Mt. Hakobe. "Looks like we're here.", she said.

"Alright! We stopped moving!", Natsu yelled out in excitement upon exiting the carriage, now doing some weird dance while spouting little flames from his mouth with Happy replicating what his best buddy's doing.

"This is as far as we can go.", the carriage driver told them as the trio then opened the carriage's doors, to reveal that they were high up in the mountains and a blizzard blew around them before got out of the carriage that is soon leaving them.

As they traveled on the snowy roads of the freezing mountains, Natsu, Happy and Valeria didn't have any problems dealing with the cold winds of the blizzard breezing at them and the heavy snows hindering their path.

Except for Lucy who struggled to keep herself warm by rubbing her arms from the raging cold winds even though she wore a winter fur clothing. "It's really freezing out here! We may be in the mountains but it's summer! There shouldn't be any blizzards!", the Celestial Mage whined from behind her friends.

"Of course Mt. Hakobe has blizzards here Lucy and it will continue when it's done... Hey, did you know that there's an old saying about the snowy season that comes every year in Earth Land which is very grim and real: ' _Winter is coming_.'...", Valeria commented as she traversed in the snowy paths of the mountain.

"That quote sounds really grim for the cold weather here if you ask me.", Happy noted before asking the woman who controlled Elemental-type Magics all by herself. "Hey can you do something to clear the blizzard so we can see what's in front of us better?"

"If you wish to change the weather of the world, I suggest you should find another wizard who can actually do that Happy...", the orange-haired girl shot back, knowing that she doesn't have the power required to completely clear away storming snowy winds in Mt. Hakobe while in her thoughts, _That would be Lord Invel's specialty when it comes with this such dangerous blizzards... He_ is _the Winter General after all. And as for changing the weather, that's Lady Irene's expertise. She can turn the whole frozen mountaintop into a more spring setting in a whisk of her staff._

"That's what you get for wearing light clothing aside from the jacket of yours, Lucy.", Natsu simply said about Lucy's complaints, leading Valeria to sweat-drop at his hypocritical statement since he wore light clothing too.

"Like you're one to talk here. You're wearing light clothing too.", the Alvarez Mage retorted while struggling to see what's through the blizzard. _But then again, it's your Magic that kept you all warmed up in this crazy kind of weather here..._ , she thought.

"In your case, you're quite prepared. At least that robes of yours are keeping your warm, right?", the Fire Dragon Slayer pointed out which the orange-haired girl nodded in confirmation.

"One of the benefits of wearing these robes, Natsu. Never underestimate the classics.", Val said with a hint of pride of herself being a classic Mage in the modern society of the Magic World.

"Well, Val may be lucky but I'm not! Now lend me this blanket!", Lucy said in desperation as she grabbed Natsu's rolled up one from on top of his backpack.

"Such a noisy girl.", Natsu said with Happy agreeing with him. "Aye."

Val simply rolled her eyes at their antics and brought out a spare blanket , handing it over to a still shivering Lucy. "Here, this should also help."

The Celestial Spirit Mage took the extra blanket to keep herself warm and was grateful for her friend's kindness before coming up with an idea popped up in her mind. "I've got it!", she said as she then brought out one of her Silver Keys to summon a Celestial Spirit.

" **Open, Gate of the Clock! Horologium!** ", After she swung her Gate Key downward, a blue Magic circle appeared in front of her and suddenly, out of a puff of smoke came a tall, brown grandfather clock. It had a long, black arms, a glass case, a Roman numeral clock at the center, and a small face at the top with slit eyes and mustache-like mouth.

"Oh wow! A clock!", Natsu said in awe.

"That's so cool!", Happy said in awe too.

"Whoa, so that's one of Lucy's contracts... That's kinda cool.", Valeria noted.

The three were fascinated by Lucy's Magic and then saw the blonde girl open the clock's glass and went right inside almost immediately, wrapping hers and Natsu's blankets around herself. And she looked like she's trying to say something while her teeth chattered from the cold.

"Uh... Is she trying to say something?", the young woman questioned.

"Huh? I can't hear her.", the pink-haired Fairy Tail Mage said, tilting sideways as he looked at the blonde inside a grandfather clock.

The clock-like Celestial Spirit named Horologium answered for Lucy, since no one can hear her when she's behind the glass within his body. "She says, 'I'll stay here' is what she's trying to tell you."

"Then why'd you come with us?", Natsu wondered, shoulders dropping.

"Didn't we just explained to him why we come along in this trip at the carriage earlier?... We are here to help him find Macao who went missing on a Job of slaying Vulcans in Mt. Hakobe and determine whether if he's alive or not.", the female Alvarez Mage muttered in deadpanned tone at Natsu's forgetfulness.

"It looks like you often came prepared Valeria. Although Natsu often forgets sometimes so don't blame him.", the talking blue cat stated.

Looking inside the clock, Valeria noticed Lucy yelling something that cannot be heard through the glass again which she finds it amusing. " 'I want to go back to the guild' is what she says", Horologium said.

The Fire Dragon Slayer sighed and shook his head as he started walking away, " 'Well, go right on back', is what I'll say."

"Aye...", the talking cat muttered, walking right next to him.

"I hope that this doesn't mean I have to drag or carry this clock if I have to... It's such a pain.", Valeria said after being left alone with Lucy inside the grandfather clock-like Celestial Spirit. _Great, now I started to sound like Lady Brandish..._ , she thought.

Then the female Alvarez Mage tapped the glass to get her friend's attention which Lucy looked up to see Val pointing the side of her head. The blonde Fairy Tail Mage had acknowledged on what she's trying to tell her and showed her accessory-shaped communicator.

" 'I did not forget what you gave me Val' is what she's thankful for.", Horologium spoke on his summoner's behalf that the former Magic King's apprentice gave a small smile and a nod of approval.

"Macao! Where are you?!", Natsu yelled.

"Macao!", Happy shouted from his friend's shoulder.

Then the three Fairy Tail members and an Alvarez Mage heard a rumbling sound, as if something was sliding down the mountain on them. And all of a sudden, a large white and black monkey-like creature with a pointy antenna on the head came jumping down on the trio with arms over its head in an intent to slam them from above!

"Heads up!", Val warned as she jumped out of the way along with Natsu, evading the blow out of nowhere.

Happy exclaimed in surprised after recognizing the large monkey. "Whoa! That's a Vulcan!"

 _I could have sworn that Vulcan almost looks like Lord Wahl for some reason!_ , Val thought in a wide-eyed surprise at the similar physical features between the Magical creature and The Adjudicator of the Spriggan 12 himself. Probably it's just the antenna on top of their heads or something like that.

The large primate then turned its attention to something or someone else than to Natsu and Happy as it snorted before eyeing on Valeria standing before him happily in a lustful stare. "It's a human woman!"

Before the Vulcan even attempted to grab her for itself, the ex-apprentice of the Magic King had raised her staff and fired a Fire Magic spell through its red Magic seal appearing in front of her and a ball-sized fiery ball emerged which appeared to be lame-looking at first glance by her friends witnessing it.

"I'm off-limits you monkey pervert... **Shot Bomb...** ", she bluntly commented.

"Ooh... Pretty light...", the Vulcan was so mesmerized and touched it with its hand, thinking the floating fiery orb was harmless but it was its utterly stupid mistake it ever made.

*KA-BOOM!*

Struck by a small harmless looking flaming orb, the Vulcan was engulfed by its huge flaming explosion upon touching it that rocked the whole snowy mountain, covered in complete burns around its body from head to toe and crashed on the side of the snowy mountain in a violent manner as if someone had punched it with fire a bit too hard.

"Whoa, Valeria just sent the Vulcan flying in one hit with a small but strong Fire Magic Spell.", Happy commented in awe along with Lucy agreeing with him as they watched the one-sided curbstomp by their friend on the ape-like creature in an anticlimactic way.

" 'That ended too quickly...' is what she said in a deadpanned manner.", Horologium said through his summoner's words.

"So, it can talk huh? I'm all fired up now!", Natsu said, pumping his fists together as flames coming out and quickly ate the flames that exploded from Valeria's Shot Bomb spell which satisfied his stomach.

"Ugh... Pretty light... go all... boom...", the ape-like creature muttered in pain with eyes twirling around.

Then suddenly, the snowy ground they stood on started to shake violently and turned around in a look of surprise to see a huge mass of ice and snow falling down from the top of Mt. Hakobe due to the huge shockwave of the Spell the orange-haired young woman used on the Vulcan.

"AAAH! IT'S AN AVALANCHE!", all three members of Fairy Tail exclaimed in total panic including the Celestial Spirit.

"Oh shit...", Valeria muttered in utter horror of the mistake she made. _Winter is coming... right on top of us!_

The large mass of snows created the huge avalanche indirectly caused by the female Alvarez Mage unintentionally had engulfed the entire surrounding area along with the people standing on it!

Several minutes later after an avalanche fell upon them, it would appear that there were almost no survivors being covered in thick layers of snow that was built up at the tip of Mt. Hakobe until one came out alive and a bit frostbitten from the chilling experience.

The Vulcan was the first to recover from the avalanche and glanced at its surrounding before turnings its attention to something else. The large primate snorted as it made its way towards Horologium. Picking up the grandfather clock, the Vulcan peered inside and saw Lucy trying to regain equilibrium from the heavy snows dropped on them.

"It's another human girl!", it exclaimed which woke up the blonde and panicked upon looking at it.

" 'WHAA!', is what she exclaimed.", the Celestial Spirit calmly said before continuing speaking on his contractor's behalf. " 'Help me guys! I'm being taken by a Vulcan! Help!' is what she says in a panicking manner."

"Oh no! Lucy! Come on Happy! Let's go!", Natsu yelled after getting his head off the snow burying him and heard her pleas of help.

"Aye sir!", the talking cat launched himself through his wings and carried his best friend to save their fellow guildmate and also chase after the ape-like creature who might be behind Macao's disappearance.

Val was the last one to emerge from the avalanche's aftermath and shook off some snow off her face and the hat too as well. "Dammit... An avalanche... Why did I have to cause an avalanche?! I ought to-! -... Huh? Oh no! Lucy! Damn that monkey!...", she realized that the Vulcan whom she sent flying with her Shot Bomb spell and caused an avalanche, had took off her friend still inside Horologium but decided check something out first.

 **"Life Essence..."** , A green Magical seal appeared in front of her face as her mismatched eyes glowed a little and glanced on the fleeing primate carrying the clock with Lucy inside and noticed something peculiar and surprising at the same time.

 _The Vulcan... has a soul of a man while having its own inside its body?... No way... Could it be Macao we're looking for this whole time?... Better tell Natsu and Happy about this. Damn Take Over..._ , she thought while struggling to get herself off from the thick snow.

Getting up on her feet, Valeria Autumn followed after Natsu and Happy as they are heading to the summit of Mt. Hakobe in hot pursuit of the Vulcan who took Lucy and might be behind the disappearance of Romeo's father.

* * *

 _Elsewhere in the summit of Mt. Hakobe_

The trio of Fairy Tail members and a classic wizard followed the footprint paths of the retreating Vulcan with Lucy under its captivity after its first defeat and soon found themselves in a large and wide mountain cave full of ice as they traversed there upon entering to find the primate where the pink-haired teen and the talking cat believed that it knows where Macao is but Valeria had to tell them something she learned.

"Monkey! Where are you?! Where are you hiding Macao? Answer me! Come out! Lucy! Where are you! Say something!", Natsu loudly yelled in the caverns with his best buddy helping too.

"Hey, Natsu, Happy. I need to tell you something first.", Val spoke that got the duo's attention.

"What is it Valeria? Is it about making another avalanche again?... Because I don't want to get my fish get frostbitten again and the taste won't be good.", Happy asked which made the young woman feel a bit ashamed of her mistake back out there earlier.

"N-no, Happy. It's about that Vulcan.", she answered.

"Huh? What do you mean?", Natsu questioned upon stopping in his tracks.

The female Alvarez Mage replied, "What I mean is that don't you guys find it strange that there's about that Vulcan when we first encountered it? Aside from the whole exploding it in one Fire spell and an avalanche thing I accidentally did."

The duo simply raised their arms and shoulders that says "I dunno. Why?" after listening to her questioning.

"From what I sense within that Vulcan through my Mana Essence, there are two Magic powers as if a wizard and a Vulcan were merged together but the latter is the dominant force in the body.", she explained to them, referring to her Spell to sense Magical presences.

"You mean?...", Happy said nervously.

"Yes Happy, that Vulcan is Macao.", the orange-haired girl answered gravely.

"WHAT?!", the duo exclaimed in shock.

Natsu panicked in disbelief of what he just heard from Val. "So that perverted monkey was Macao all along?! How the heck did that happen?"

"When I asked Mirajane about the specifics of the Job request Macao took, it says that in Job is to take out twenty Vulcans in Mt. Hakobe and it seems that the last one used Take Over on him after he managed to defeat nineteen of them into what we see before us now and took Lucy as its captive.", Valeria explained in a logical sense that Natsu and Happy understood the information.

"Aye, it's true. Vulcans possess a human's body in order to survive. They're really evil body snatchers.", the flying blue cat agreed with the explanation with the orange-haired girl approve with a nod.

"Ooh I'll have to pummel that Vulcan so hard it will release Macao from the Take Over spell! That would work I'm such a genius!", Natsu declared loudly with Happy supporting his best friend. "Aye!"

"And end up having Macao severely injured by you Natsu? You would put him a lot more danger should the Vulcan relinquish control after you beat it to death as you intended.", Valeria interjected that left the Fire Dragon Slayer in a glum defeated look but still insisted that pummeling the Vulcan might still work regardless the consequences.

"Then how do you propose we free Macao, Valeria?", the talking blue cat asked.

"Well, I know of a certain Spell that might release Macao from the Vulcan's Take Over from his body. And you Natsu are the main player in a little strategy of mine. Lucy is also essential asset too as well once we rescue her.", Valeria said cheerfully much to the duo's chagrin before they decided to listen on her plan on how to free their fellow Fairy Tail member from the Vulcan's control of his body.

Meanwhile at the depths of the icy caverns a few moments later, the Vulcan was there, grumbling that the first human woman had nearly singed off its fur with a small flaming orb and dropped a ton of snow on it and desired for a scared Lucy who is still inside Horologium for a few minutes until the Celestial Spirit disappeared due to time limit much to the blonde's dismay which made it desire her even more.

Then the female Mage in classic wizard attire boldly entered in its territory with her staff ready for a fight much to Lucy's relief then overhearing a loud noise of an angry teenager coming at it, passing by Valeria almost immediately.

"RAAAGH! I found you monkey! Get out of Macao's body this instant!", Natsu yelled before slipping on the icy floor, and slide crashing into the wall.

"Huh?! That's just lame! He couldn't have made a subtle entrance like you, Val.", Lucy said with a facepalm.

"Epic fail... He's not following the plan at all.", the orange-haired girl in a classic wizard attire grumbled at the pinkette teen's stupidity with Happy agreeing while at the safe distance. "Aye! That's Natsu for ya."

While Natsu was struggling to get off from the icy wall he crashed on and the Vulcan doing some stupid dance around the teen, chanting "Me don't like men! Me like women!", Val approached Lucy who was relieved to see her and told the latter something about her plan.

"Hey, Luce. To make it long story short: The Vulcan there was Macao due to Takeover and I have a plan to free him. Summon some Celestial Spirit of yours. A heavy hitter would do.", she said.

Deciding to help Natsu and continue on with the little plan of her friend despite not yet fully understanding the whole situation, Lucy took one of her Celestial Spirit Keys, one shaped like an axe and swung downward. " **Open, Gate of the Golden Bull!** **Taurus**!"

From the blue Magic circle appearing in front of her, out came forth humanoid cow wearing only brown fingerless leather gloves, a speedo, and black boots along with a giant twin-bladed battle axe on his back and also has a giant ring on its flat nose and horns on its head.

"A cow?...", the Vulcan questioned on seeing the Celestial Spirit firsthand.

"I gotta say, Luce. I'm impressed.", the orange-haired girl said.

"I'm warning you! Taurus is the most powerful Celestial Spirit that I have a contract with!", the blond woman said with a hint of pride before the cow (or bull, whatever the heck he is) began to speak with hearts in his eyes, ruining the moment.

"Oh, wow Miss Lucy, you certainly have a beautiful figure. You've got a pretty face too."

Sweat-dropping, she added. "And I forgot to mention he's a pervert too."

"I... take it back Lucy. This is just... really pathetic...", Val said in a sweat-drop look too on her face.

"Aye.", Happy simply said. _So Valeria'_ s _plan is to have Natsu engage the Vulcan possessing Macao's body in a fight with Taurus summoned by Lucy aiding him in suppression fire tactic and weaken him long enough for her to use some kind of Dispelling Spell she mentioned to free Macao from the Take Over. I can only hope the plan works._

The monkey then narrowed its eyes on the bull with an angry glare. "You no touch my woman!"

"Your woman? I don't think so.", Taurus said, glaring back with fierce eyes and was about to draw his large weapon but Lucy stopped him for a while and whispered him the plan Val gave her a quick but short explanation which he then understands with a nod.

"Now, go for it!", the blonde girl shouted as the bull jumped into the air and drew his large axe, swung it down with two hands that sent a shockwave of rocks on impact on the ground at the monkey who then easily evaded it with a jump.

Seeing that now Taurus is now engaged in combat with the Vulcan, Valeria quickly called out to Natsu who had just got up angrily that he slipped and ranting demands at the monkey loudly before she calmed him down and informed him about Lucy already summoned Celestial Spirit as a part of her plan in case if the pinkette accidentally mistook the Golden Bull for an enemy and reminded him of the plan.

"Alright then, let's go!", Natsu yelled as he charged into the fray just when the Vulcan just pushed back Taurus with combo of uppercut and spinning double-kick, sending him flying and disarming him of his battle axe after a hard battle between the two humanoid individuals. And Lucy had quickly came Taurus' side as she's concerned for her Celestial Spirit, complimenting him much to his joy to see his master's nice body in her chagrin.

Seemingly defeating the Celestial Spirit in a such underhanded tactic, the Vulcan then noticed Natsu and attempted to smash its fists on Natsu which was effortlessly blocked with one arm, causing the ground beneath him broke under the sheer brute strength of the monkey.

"She's my woman!", it yelled.

"Listen up monkey! All members of Fairy Tail are my friends!", he said before he and the Vulcan kicked each other simultaneously, pushing each other back hard. "Whether it's Gramps and Mira, or those annoying guys Gray and Elfman...", he continued when the monkey started running towards him again. "...Happy, Lucy and Valeria too. They're all my friends.", he finished with his Magic circle appearing at his feet with it glowing and flames swirling around him.

"And that's why... I'm not leaving without Macao! So get the hell out of him!", the Fire Dragon Slayer yelled as he landed a fire-powered kick at the Vulcan attempting deliver the blow on him but the former reacted much quicker than the dimwit monkey.

The sudden quick blow sent the large monkey flying into the ceiling but was able to get back on its feet with several sharp icicles dropping down in front of it. The Vulcan growled in anger as it smashed its hands together and destroyed the ice spikes, sending them flying right towards Natsu and his companions.

"Those things won't work on fire!", the pink-haired teenager exclaimed loudly as he stood firm and defiant with the incoming icicles melting before they could even touch him, causing a lot of steam forming up.

Happy easily evaded it too with ease thanks to his wings and Lucy taking cover with Taurus protecting her in front of him despite being beaten down while Valeria put up a shield of Magical energy to deflect the incoming debris.

When the steam of smoke cleared from the surrounding area, the Vulcan revealed itself to be in possession of Taurus' own axe with a malicious grin written on its face.

"That's not good.", Natsu said when he saw his opponent now armed to the teeth.

"Oh no, it has Taurus' axe. Natsu's in serious disadvantage here. So am I...", Lucy muttered with a grit of her teeth as she decided to be brave for once while a still conscious bull was able to speak weakly. "Be careful... Miss Lucy."

Charging on the counterattack, the large monkey started swinging at Natsu who's able to easily dodge them with no problem at all... until he slipped on the ice again as the former took the chance to slice the Fire Dragon Slayer in two.

"Oh no Natsu!", the talking cat cried out for his best friend.

In an instant, Lucy used her whip to stop the Vulcan from swinging down the axe, interrupted as she struggled to hold against the ape trying to wrest free from her grasp, saving Natsu's life. Then the Fire Dragon Slayer kicked it in the face with his feet coated with flames which pushed it back and disoriented before the Vulcan saw the female Alvarez Mage casting another Spell.

" **Flick Stone** **!** ", Valeria then swung down her staff on the ground that a brown Magic circle appeared on, with a lot of ice debris erupting from its powerful heavy impact that pushed back the monkey with the Golden Bull's axe and also destroyed the complete portion of Mt. Hakobe with a huge explosion causing another avalanche at the right side of the mountain.

"She made an avalanche... again...", Happy muttered in deadpanned tone.

"Huh?", the Vulcan looked in confusion at first before charging again with Taurus' axe, aiming to strike again at Natsu and Lucy but Valeria swung her staff to cause a white orb shockwave that pushed it back a several feet, staggering as it tried to regain balance with the stolen axe that left the primate wide open for any all-out attack.

Immediately taking the advantage, the pinkette teen grinned and smashed his fists together with his Magic seal appearing in front of him again and flames forming around his knuckles and jumped towards the Vulcan. "Take this! **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** "

With Natsu punching the Vulcan flying in a small explosion afterward, thus destroying the surrounding area and also disarmed of the battle axe straight right into a recently recovered Taurus who then locked its arms with his own together to prevent it from escaping his tight grasp but was struggling to hold on while Lucy used the whip with a heart-shaped tip around its neck.

"Now, Val/Valeria!", the blonde and the pinkette yelled together.

"Do it nooowww! Miss Lucy and I can't hold this one mooouucchhh longer!", the cow-man shared the mutual feeling.

Raising her staff right in front of the struggling Vulcan still trying to break free, Valeria uttered one spell. " **Purge** **...** "

With a flash of light, a white Magic circle appearing in front of it as it became smaller and exploded into a ball of smoke upon the Take Over's dispel that temporarily blinded everyone in the area. When the smoke cleared, a man in a monkey's place appeared still held by the Golden Bull.

"Welcome back Macao.", Natsu happily grinned with Happy giving an "Aye!" comment in approval.

"Thanks a lot Taurus. You can let go of the man now and return back.", Lucy said in thanks to her Celestial Spirit while removing the whip off Macao's neck.

"Your welcome and goodbye miss Lucy! I'll miss your nice body! Mooo!", the Celestial Spirit commented as he released a now unconscious Macao into Natsu's custody before dissipating into a flash of golden colors back to the Celestial Spirit World.

Happy felt relieved that Val's plan ended quite well with a big grin and thumbs up.

Sometime later with the whole thing with the Vulcan have ended finally ended with the group's victory, Macao was applied first aid with bandages around his torso with his jacket removed and laid down on a mat provided from Natsu's backpack and Val's healing potions to lessen the damage he had received from their attacks when the primate took control of his body at that time.

"He must have fought real hard before he was taken over.", the talking blue cat commented with Valeria nodded in agreement.

Natsu then leaned forward to Macao with a fierce look on his face, "Macao! Come on, get up! Romeo's waiting at home for you! Open your eyes!"

The father of Romeo slowly opened his eyes at the sound of the pink-haired boy's voice yelling at his face as he woke up to be pained yet alive, "Ugh... Natsu?"

"Macao!", Natsu said excitedly with a smile.

The taller man said in lamentation and shame after realizing what has happened to him as he covered his eyes, "I feel so pathetic. I took out 19 of those things, but the 20th... it was the one that got me. It's ticked me off. I can't face Romeo like this!"

"Nonsense! Defeating that many is a great feat!", Natsu interjected in a form of compliment before he held up his man for the older man to take it like brothers-in-arms and get up. "Alright, time to go home. Romeo's waiting."

Lucy was surprised and impressed along with Happy and Valeria in hearing that about Macao's almost twenty-kill count of the Vulcan. _I can't believe it. He was able to take on those brutes all by himself. I don't think I can match up with them..._ , the blonde Fairy Tail Mage smiled as she looked down a bit.

"Lucy, what's with that grin? It's creep-.", Happy commented but was cut off when a hand touched his head.

"Happy, please don't ruin the mood and keep your mouth shut.", Val said softly yet sternly.

The talking cat simply gave a simple "Aye" in response to that and Lucy just smiled even a little brighter at the orange-haired woman's action for preventing the moment-killer to ruin such a heart-warming memory.

* * *

 _Back at Magnolia Town_

In the streets of Magnolia, Romeo continued waiting for his father as he thought out about the time when a group of older kids bullied him a few days ago that they'd rather become knights than Mages when they grow up in the future, seeing the members of Fairy Tail as nothing more than drunks and stupid right in front of him at his face.

That prompted the young boy into telling his dad to get a good Job in order to show the other kids that the Fairy Tail Mages aren't pushovers in their perspective and Macao did with a Job request to hunt down Vulcans at Mt. Hakobe and soon went missing for a week.

Wiping the tears off his eyes, Romeo wondering if it was all his fault that his dad went missing because of that just when he heard a familiar voice calling out to him. "Romeo!"

The boy turned around to see the returning Fairy Tail group with his still injured but recovering father being supported by Natsu as his eyes welled up in tears of joy to see his father back and alive safe and sound.

Romeo got up and ran towards his father, hugging him that sent the older man backwards but was happy to see his son again. "Dad!"

"Dad! I'm so sorry!", the boy cried as he hugged his beloved father tight.

Macao hugged back his son as he said, "I worried you, right? Forgive me."

"It's fine, dad. After all, I'm a son of the wizard!", Romeo said happily with Natsu, Lucy and Happy watching a tearful moment between father and son, along with the guild members then turned and walked down the road, noticing the scene.

"If those brats make fun of you again, tell them this: 'Can your dads defeat 19 monsters? Because mine can!'", the older man grinned with pride of a Fairy Tail Mage, looking down at his beloved son.

The boy smiled happily back at his father before turning to Natsu and Happy, thanking him for bringing his father back to him in gratitude as he shouted with his cupped hands together, "Natsu! Happy! Thank you!"

He even included Lucy who was caught off guard with an embarrassed blush, "Lucy, thank you too! Give my thanks to Valeria too!" before she waved and gave a smile and thumbs up with a warm laugh of her own in response before catching up with Natsu and Happy at the guildhall with the others standing outside.

"Hey, wait! Where's Val?", Lucy suddenly remembered something that came into her head when the orange-haired woman was mentioned by Romeo earlier with the Fairy Tail trio turning around to see their friend's disappearance.

The female Alvarez Mage wasn't with them right after they descended from the now damaged Mt. Hakobe coupled by avalanches and destroyed portions of the mountainous areas with Macao they had successfully managed to find on their way back home to Magnolia.

"She just left...", Happy muttered with his tail lowering down in sadness that a friend had disappeared without even saying goodbye.

"Don't worry guys. Something tells me she will come back. I just know it.", Natsu reassured them which lightened their hearts a little and believed that she will come back soon enough whether or not if she joins Fairy Tail.

Meanwhile on the open grass hills with sunset sky above that allows any person to see the full view of Magnolia from afar, Valeria Autumn stood there solemnly with her staff planted on the ground as she glanced on the Fairy Tail guildhall that stood out from the rest of the town's buildings.

Right after they successfully brought Macao home in Mt. Hakobe, the former Magic King's apprentice had quietly walked away from the Fairy Tail trio and somehow got a favor from Mirajane that she would need to explore the country firsthand before coming up a decision to join Fairy Tail or any guild in Fiore depending on her experience on the road ahead of her with Makarov who seemed to approve of it when he was there listening to her explanations of not joining the guild yet and gave heartfelt blessings on her road-trip. She had also handed the barmaid a letter she wrote only for Lucy to read too as an apology and reassurance.

"Sorry, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy. We'll meet again soon... eventually.", she said with a small smile before walking away from where she stand and boarded on a moderate sized cart driven by one healthy and sturdy horse that were purchased and acquired from one of Magnolia's stables earlier, heading off on the road on her own in the Kingdom of Fiore...

* * *

 **Author's Note: It would appear that the second chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is finished and the next update will be coming soon enough once I had my brain working again in dealing with writer's block. Hehehe. I feel like it was a bit too early for Valeria to join Fairy Tail because she is an Alvarez Mage and there are times that not everyone gets to join too quickly, so I had to flesh things out first.**

 **Don't worry, she will be back because her role in the major arcs will be essential to the story but first things, first: a roadtrip or rather an adventure around Fiore for Valeria Autumn.**

 **Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey hello what's up there guys? I'm back and the third chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is here after a writer's block and busy schedule of my life in college and other priorities of life. Thank you for your early reviews and support for this story centering a OC from the Alvarez Empire who hasn't joined Fairy Tail unlike most fanfics depicting OCs joining the guild immediately.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters. They respectively belong to Hiro Mashima, the author of the manga series. Same goes for A-1 Animation Studios and FUNimation for the old anime adaptation that I sorely missed and still need of accepting the current incarnation from 2014-2015.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D**

* * *

Chapter 3

 _In the northern outskirts of the Kingdom of Fiore somewhere far in the borders of Seven, September X784_

Two months of Earth Land time has passed in Earth Land's time of day since Valeria Autumn, a Mage from the Alvarez Empire, had been wandering around the countryside of the Kingdom of Fiore as she drove her cart on the road in a bright and peaceful atmosphere of the grasslands and trees, smoking her pipe and reading newspaper of the current events she bought from the previous town she passed by.

Currently, the former Magic King's apprentice is somewhere in the outskirts far in the borders of Seven, a theocratic country occupying a peninsula northeast of Fiore where it is known as the Holy Empire of Seven which is something Valeria mildly scoffed at that Ishgarian country's name trying to compare its word 'empire' with her own country from the Western Continent.

From what she learned of during her lone travel around Fiore for a while, Mages in the Eastern Continent can't be considered full-fledged until they join a guild of their own choosing where they are known as Legal Mages being a part of official Guilds, take on Legal Jobs as a source of personal income and adventure and usually heed the words of the Magic Council. And, they are also the Mages people tend to look up to, with the most famous of them having the chance to be featured in the Sorcerer Magazine.

In Alakitasia, Legal Mages are among the main bulk of the massive militaristic empire's humongous armies that their numbers extends above 2,300,000 strong with better training and possessed Magic Power that is not to taken lightly and Sorcerer Weekly has no presence in the Western Continent because of the tensions and non-contact between the Alvarez Empire and Ishgar's countries.

Since the former Magic King's apprentice has firmly refused to join Fairy Tail as a member of a Legal Guild because of the first bad impression Natsu Dragneel had made and currently wandering around Fiore on her own, Valeria is currently categorized as an Independent Mage due to her non-affiliation with any guild and does not want to become a Dark Mage anytime of the day at all.

The Independent Mages are Mages that are not officially recognized by the Magic Council and don't belong to either Legal Guilds or Dark Guilds, instead being part of the so-called Independent Guilds or even struck out on their own which the orange-haired young woman considers herself to be. And it also appears that they can do whatever they please as long as the Magic Council doesn't disapprove of the actions they have made.

In Alakitasia, there are no such thing as Independent Mages existing there at all as every single Mage, either Legal or Dark, are all well-trained elite and formidable soldiers and warriors of the Alvarez Empire under direct command of the Spriggan 12 that were drafted and conscripted or even voluntary from every region of the Western Continent.

As for Dark Mages, they are Mages who are members of Earth Land's illegal Dark Guilds, guilds which are not acknowledged as such by the Magic Council, having either lost their rights due to crimes, or having never been affiliated with the Council in the first place as they are guilds that the Council refuses to recognize and becoming known to all intents and purposes as criminal organizations.

The Dark Mages are also among the main bulk of Alvarez military alongside the Legal Mages since the Western Continent's Dark Guilds were also being assimilated by Emperor Spriggan in the formation of the empire he had built many years ago since its founding.

In collective imagination, Dark Mages usually have evil intentions, think little of others, putting their own desires first, and can be very cruel, if not downright insane.

On both similar ways, the Dark Mages in Alakitasia are as nasty as their Ishgarian counterparts and are considered as the strategic wildcards in the Alvarez military because of their unpredictable behavior but at least they're well-satisfied of what they've been denied for so long and the good conditions of the country under Spriggan's rule as many of the Dark Mages in the Eastern Continent are typically dismissive of Legal Guilds, viewing their law-abiding ways towards the Magic Council as restrictive of their full potential.

During her time as an Independent Mage, Valeria established herself as a freelancer Mage offering temporary services to any Legal Guild she came across in return of a moderate amount of income and information as she's a traveler from the West, and was soon later became infamously known as the "Wandering Wizard" because of her constant habit of traveling from one place to another.

Of course, there are some traveling Mages on the road around the countryside of Fiore and probably the rest of the Ishgar continent but majority of them are from Legal Guilds and Magical organizations that they're affiliated with, so she sticks out because of her status as an Independent Mage. Some of the members of Legal Guilds were often confused with their heads scratched of her firm refusal to join them after the freelancer services she had provided and there were several or more attempts in convincing Valeria Autumn to reconsider with their offers that others couldn't possibly refuse but were politely rebuffed.

Even Sorcerer Weekly couldn't even get an exclusive scoop of interview or a clear photo shoot from the female Alvarez Mage as she's always on the move and never stayed in one place for more than a few weeks or so, considered her to be an enigma of sorts that became quite a bit of a center of talk among the Mages of Fiore.

And the most surprising of all is about Valeria's fashion style that of a stereotypical wizard from old times which completely distinguishes her from all the female Mages in Fiore who were mostly usually dressed very fashionably and revealing that suited their feminine tastes and flaunting their impressive figures featured in Sorcerer Weekly for all the men to admire.

Plus, the young woman also has a habit of showing off marvelous fireworks from her Magic through the wooden staff she wielded and the hand-made firework Lacrimas for the delightful children's entertainment just for the fun and festivities in towns and villages wherever she passed by in exchange for a moderate income enough to last for days where she can use them to buy food and basic necessities and supplies to make homemade fireworks.

Several Dark Mages and bandits have also tried to bring her into their side for their typical petty shady and evil schemes they cooked up as she's a freelancer for hire or just attempted to rob the young woman of her possessions and had their way upon her but in the end, they've learned the very hard way to not mess with the likes of Valeria who now added on her hit list of taking out Dark Guilds wherever she meets them on the road.

As a result, at least several minor Dark Guilds were eradicated single-handedly by her hand upon encountering them in rural towns and villages of Fiore she came across with subtle methods which doesn't almost involve destructive spells and had left the defeated to be taken in by the authorities who then paid her from the bounties in compensation for the trouble while being baffled of her status as an Independent Mage instead of a member of a Legal Guild.

Of course while she never joined Fiore's number 1 guild Fairy Tail, Valeria had remained in contact with Lucy through the Magic communication earring she gave to her earlier back at Hargeon Town and right now, they were conversing about Lucy's first Job as a Fairy Tail member teaming up with the Fire Dragon Slayer and the talking blue cat with wings.

Reading on the newspaper featuring Fairy Tail's another destructive antics on Shirotsume Town where it reports about Natsu, Lucy and Happy taking down a corrupt duke named Everlue who holds absolute power and influence over the town and had him arrested for his crimes by the Magic Council after the disclosure of his disgusting behavior of extreme greed and a twisted sense of beauty along with his illegal activities albeit indirectly due to the Job Request of Kaby Melon.

That is when the Celestial Spirit Mage had decided to call Val in her spare time and have some girl talk together whilst watching her fellow guildmates doing their usual antics and brawls inside Fairy Tail guildhall once more and the Wandering Wizard still driving her cart on the road.

"You just made your first wrecking on a mansion? Wow! Congratulations, Lucy. Fairy Tail really does have the tendency of destroying things while out on Jobs. It must be some sort of a rite of passage. Fufufufu...", Valeria commented in an amused tone via Magic communication earring of her own as she finds it amusing about the antics of an Ishgarian guild her country had targeted for Lumen Histoire.

"It wasn't my fault Val! It was Duke Everlue wrecking his own mansion with Diver Magic trying to get me for holding the book that wasn't even his in the first place!", Lucy whined in a pouting manner from the communication earring in response. "And not mention Natsu is also to blame for the destruction too... Also, I even saw you made an avalanche in Mt. Hakobe if you didn't remember. Does that rite of passage into the guild count too?..."

"Touché... And you told me that the 2 million reward from that job you took with Natsu and Happy turned out to be nothing at all since the client was poor all along and had to borrow his friend's mansion in order to look like they're wealthy to be taken seriously to begin with. He must be really desperate to get that book.", the orange-haired girl said.

"Yup, it was his father's legacy left for Kaby to read the book meant for him all this time. Oh well, there goes my rent money...", the Celestial Spirit Mage said with a disappointed sigh before deciding to change the subject. "Hey, Val. Have you decided to join a Guild lately? So far, you were sort of a main topic in the newspaper about you as the _Wandering Wizard_."

"I haven't decided to join any Guild in the country yet lately because I don't think the time is right. As for the _Wandering Wizard_ title, it sounds like a fitting name for me and I like it already. Being a freelancer for good purposes is what I could do to earn income when not being a guild member and it's fun. I like traveling and sticking to one place doesn't feel right with me. Sorry if that made you sad Lucy.", the former Magic King's apprentice replied.

"Nah, it's alright Val. I just... I just hope you would get to join Fairy Tail someday despite the first bad impression Natsu had put up with. The guild is really wonderful here despite their crazy antics, you know. I heard Lamia Scale is one of the top Guilds in Fiore. Even Blue Pegasus too as well with their reputation stemming mostly from the beautiful and fashionable men and women in it seen in Sorcerer Weekly.", Lucy said in a glad tone that there is still yet hope for her friend from the West.

Suddenly, Valeria started to remember about a certain incident from Blue Pegasus that she definitely did _not_ want to recall ever again as it made her shudder in complete cold chills down her spine and losing her skin color at the mention of that Fiorian guild.

* * *

 _One month of July X784 ago at Pegasus Village_

It was a bright sunny day at the village of Pegasus where the guild of Blue Pegasus is located in the Kingdom of Fiore. That kind of day in which any person would believe that anything couldn't possibly go wrong...

Unfortunately for one Valeria Autumm, the bad karma would bite her in that day with extra viciousness because this day she will met some people from that said guild who will become one of the banes of her stay in Fiore.

"Oh this is such a wonderful day! The fireworks sold like a hit!", said a cheerful Valeria who was without her hat, after all she have sold some homemade fireworks to the majority of the town for the festival in Pegasus Village that will happen next week in a great price so she can travel for the next weeks without having to worry for money since she's an Independent Mage with no guild affiliation.

"But first I will go to the hot springs because I need some relaxing time after dealing with those hooligans.", she muttered to herself after remembering her encounter with the Fairy Tail Mages , but that was in the past so with that thought in mind she went to the hot springs to gain her so needed relaxing time.

Sometime later in the hot springs that is stationed in an enclosed area surrounded by bamboo-like walls. The entrance is a red decorative cloth with Japanese symbols on it and beside the entrance is a horse statue placed on a stand. Around the waters of the hot spring, a few trees and bushes protrude from the ground, which is embedded by tile rocks. The waters are enclosed by several blocks of stone and are decorated with leaves and acorns. A bamboo wall divides the hot spring into two separate sections; one for men and the other for women.

This is where the Wandering Wizard is relaxing at such soothing place after her weeks of travel on the road which is considered tiring.

"Ahh this is life... It felt good...", Val commented to herself when she entered with towel draped over her bare body in one of the many ponds and the hot water begun to loosen up some of the tension in her joints and muscles of her body.

But in that moment of relaxation, someone entered in the host-spring pond. A slim girl slightly younger than her of average height with blond hair and blue eyes, and sports a top-model physique, being slim but at the same time sporting a large bust and ample hips. From the looks of her face, she was seeing Val like if she was some kind of project particularly challenging.

That creeped her out a little bit.

"Err... Hello? K-k-kind I help you?" asked a little weirded out Alvarez Mage to the girl who giggled a little bit before answering.

"Relax, girl. It is nothing bad. I was only thinking that you have such a great body. I think that you should be modelling or at least try some of our clothes because they would fit you nicely", the blonde young woman said, smiling affably to her.

"E-eh thanks I guess?", Valeria replied a little surprised by the bizarre of the situation as her cheeks flushed pink.

After all, it is not the days when people would try to give her some free clothes for the journey or casual wear that some looked a bit more revealing or constantly telling her to become a model for Sorcerer Weekly and while the prospect wasn't attractive to her she couldn't deny that was flattering or complimenting of her beauty regardless of her bizarre colored eyes that seems creepy by others with superstitious beliefs in this small Ishgarian country.

But she politely refused them all as she's not someone to show off skin for the men's entertainment despite the fashion apparel for women are widely recognized that they have a more bare and suggestive connotation, instead of the norm of a clothed and an unrevealing aspect towards it in Alvarez with Ladies Dimaria, Brandish and Irene for example.

"No problem by the way. My name is Jenny Realight of Blue Pegasus nice to meet you.", the female Fiorian Mage presented herself the girl to Valeria who did the same.

"Valeria Autumn, a freelancer wizard and the pleasure is mine...", greeted back the Alvarez Mage.

After giving each other their own introductions, they begin to chat amicably between them about girl talk while they massage each other's backs by turn and about the orange-haired girl's unintended but somewhat deserving reputation as the Wandering Wizard and her non-guild affiliation status which Jenny proposed that she should join their guild.

So with that good first impression Valeria decided to come with her new friend to the Blue Pegasus guild since it couldn't be worse than Fairy Tail right?

Oh poor girl if only she knew by Murphy's Law because this is where you're wrong...

Because in that moment she had quickly discovered that they were being spied on in the women's section of the hot-springs. And so with righteous female fury, Val created a gigantic fireball from her hand with a red Magic circle that she threw at the peeping toms from behind the wall.

"Like hell I will let you perv on us pigs!", the enraged young woman screamed when the fireball impact where the perverts stood and exploded that caused a large hole in the wall as a result.

"Meeeeeeennnn! What a fabulouus goddess we have found boys!" said one of the peeping toms, revealing to be a short man with orange hair, dressed in a fine white suit to his other 3 companions who appeared to be covered in soot but relatively unharmed from the fireball blast.

"Is that a hobbit?! Sparkling?!" Valeria exclaimed out loud with a disturbed look on her face after seeing the man's size that of little people living in the Shire from her favorite book, _Lord of the Rings_ although the sparkles around him also reminded her of sparkly vampires from a trashy teen romance novel _Twilight_.

"Indeed Sir Ichiya, this is truly a goddess of love and beauty and i cant help but fall in love with her! My name is Ren Akatsuki." said another of the present men a tall dark skinned one with handsome features sharply dressed with a charming smile on his face when he appeared in front of Valeria and kissed her hand.

"You're right Ren. I also cant help but falling in love with this goddess made flesh! My name is Eve Tearm." said a shot blond haired boy dressed in a similar away to his friend while appearing behind Valeria to give her a massage.

It was safe to say that the patience of Valeria was rapidly decreasing with each passing second because the nervous tick in her right blue eye and the pulsating in in her forehead that she's not amused at all.

"Indeed my friend she is like a queen of love and beauty and I can't help but desire to serve her in any way she want. The name is Hibiki Lates by the way, milady.", the brown haired young man said that like his other two companions was dressed sharply and was of handsome features while massaging the feet of the Wandering Wizard.

"Indeed boys she is a queen goddess of love and beauty because her parfum is simply divine! Meeeeeeeeennnnnnnn!", Ichiya said after appearing beside her and smelling her officially creeping out Valeria who rise up from where she was sitting with a red face for both embarrassment and female rage.

"Stay away from me you crazy perverts!", an enraged Valeria screamed without even noticing that because her sudden action her towel fell off which showed off her body to the present who couldn't help but nosebleed at the sight of its glory.

Valeria was surprised by this so when she followed their gazes and discovered her naked state, she did what most women do in that situation as her face glowed crimson in embarrassment. "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!", she screamed while running away of the pond as she took the towel to cover herself again.

"What marvelous sight my boys this is truly a gift of the gods themselves! Meeeeeeeeennnnn!", the older short man dramatically said after regaining his cool.

"Indeed Mr. Ichiya but we must hurry because our queen goddess of love and beauty is getting away!", Ren replied, causing that the other men nods in acknowledge and prepare to chase after the poor female Alvarez Mage but were stopped in their tracks by a furious Jenny who has a murderous look on her face after standing in their way, as dark aura surrounded her towel-covered body.

"Oi. Where do you boys think you're going? I am having a great conversation with Valeria earlier and I was about to invite her to join Blue Pegasus... But you morons just ended up scaring her away! Now I'm gonna have to rip off your manhood and feed it to the goats!" said the blond girl with a sick and twisted smile begin to form in her face, making the the four men go white by the fear because they knew that their punishment will be legendary even in hell.

"B-but, Jenny... T-there are no goats here...", Hibiki stuttered when he tried to diffuse the terrible situation they are in now.

"Well, I will make do!", Jenny yelled while retaining her deadly smile as she cracked both knuckles ready to inflict a thousand years of pain onto them.

Heard by the townspeople of Pegasus Village and the other guild members of Blue Pegasus including Master Bob himself, they heard _manly/meeennnly_ screams of pain and terror from the hot-springs and safely assumed that Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki and the Trimens were peeping on some unfortunate girl bathing there and got their asses brutally kicked by Jenny as a result as they sighed and shook their heads.

After dressing up back to her modest clothing of a classic wizard once more in an inn where she was supposed to be staying for the night, Valeria quickly packed all of her stuff and as she moved out to the outskirts of the town sometime later.

"Never again... Never again will I go this fucking town ever in my entire life!", screamed a still enraged Valeria while she was riding in the road and a powerful killing instinct surrounded her making everybody else give her a wide margin to drive her cart far far away from Blue Pegasus as much as possible.

If only she knew that this wasn't the last time she would see them and that this was the beginning of her fanclub by Ichiya and the Trimens and that as time passed over, it would soon become one of the biggest in the Kingdom of Fiore in the future she would have cried in the spot...

But that is a story of another time.

* * *

 _Back in the present time_

Shaking such thoughts about that terrifying experience with Blue Pegasus out of her head, the female Alvarez Mage recomposes herself as she then smiled in response and replied back. "Don't count on it, Luce. Just not today... Hmmm... Say, if Fairy Tail needed someone like me for extra help or more majestic fireworks for the festivities, then I am at your service."

"Alright, Val. Thanks! Anyways, gotta go! Need to get a Job to pay off my rent! And oh, Mira and the Master said hi to you by the way. Bye!", the blonde woman said before breaking contact with the Wandering Wizard and decided to go to the Request Board in search for a Job whilst Natsu and Gray began to childishly bicker like overgrown immature children much to the entire guild's amusement.

Valeria can only sigh bemusedly as she continued and noticed someone on the road a several or more kilometer miles away from each other. A girl with a long scarlet hair, brown eyes, and wearing an armored suit with the symbol of the guild in the waist up complete with gauntlets along with a blue skirt and knee-length high-heeled boots. And with her is a decorative giant horn that doesn't seem heavy for the likes of a Mage dressed in armor.

 _A wizard in armor? Now that is something you don't see everyday here in Ishgar aside from classic robes I wore... She reminds me of Lady Dimaria for some reason... A magic knight... She must be pretty strong carrying that horn of such size... And that red hair... is that of Lady Irene for some reason... Oh well, just ignore her and hopefully she doesn't see me. Minding our own business as usual..._ , the orange-haired Wandering Wizard commented to herself in thought before continuing driving on the road nonchalantly.

Meanwhile the scarlet-haired Mage had also noticed Val driving her horse-driven cart on the road heading to Seven's borders after accomplishing her Job subduing the monster with its large horn as a trophy from a mountainous desert village of Fiore and began to take interest of the female Alvarez Mage after overhearing gossips and talks about the infamous Wandering Wizard while traveling on the road back home.

 _Is that the Wandering Wizard?... Hmm... It's quite rare to see someone like her traveling around the country with no affiliation to any Guild. According to rumors, I've heard, she's a freelancer... and refused many offers of joining other Guilds. Perhaps I could convince her to join Fairy Tail if we get to meet one day... Nobody refuses to join the guild and gets away with it on my watch..._ , she thought to herself before continuing her journey back to Magnolia.

Back at the Fairy Tail guildhall, Natsu felt a cold chilling of fear going down on his spine for some reason which he merely shrugged it off quickly and then immediately pinned the blame on Gray who took that as an offense for ridiculous accusation, reigniting their childish brawl.

* * *

 _Garage Village, Kingdom of Fiore_

Arriving at an urban town of Fiore called Garage Village somewhere a bit far from the borders of Seven, Valeria passed by the townspeople who whispered among themselves while preparing the festivities as they recognized who she is by her moniker and watched her heading for Hound Holy, a Legal Guild stationed there as its headquarters where its two prominent members are ranked fourth and eighth, respectively, in Sorcerer Magazine's _The Wizard I'd Like To Be My Girlfriend_ ranking in X784 according to the weekly trivia section from the newspaper.

As for the children, however, they are certainly more than enthusiastic in seeing the young woman's fireworks after hearing stories from other travelers who told tales of her displaying fireworks majestic to behold.

"Hey look it's the Wandering Wizard!"

"It's really her!"

"I wanna see her fireworks!"

"Cool! I want to see them too!"

Whilst waiting for Valeria to make fireworks in about a few minutes, the kids soon became disappointed that the female Alvarez Mage didn't display the entertainment they were looking forward too as the cart further moved away. But then suddenly several firecrackers from her staff were fired and exploded into marvelous colors much to their delight.

The former apprentice of August could only smile and heartily laugh after hearing their cheers of joy and enthusiasm whilst smoking her pipe before continuing on the road where she sees a large building that is somewhat akin to a castle from a typical children's fairy tale.

Within the guild hall of Hound Holy is an elaborate decorated with swords and shields hanging on the walls along with the coat of arms of a beautiful cross. It was occupied by less than a few hundred members of the Guild who are eating, drinking, talking similar to Fairy Tail. Except that, there are no brawls among themselves like the previous guilds of Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus Valeria had encountered from her travels.

"Welcome to my guild, my dear! I am Shiba Flowers, the Guild Master of Hound Holy.", greeted an old man wearing a brown overcoat with light linings and two rings dangling by the ends of each side of the collar. Underneath it, he wears a pair of pastel green pants, and brown boots.

Despite his age, Shiba maintains a rather muscular build as if it were never tarnished 50 years ago. He has white eyebrows, and sports a long graying beard, with what little of his hair perched atop his balding head and jutting upwards in a horn-like fashion.

"So it seems. I thank you for your kind hospitality and warm welcome sir.", Valeria said in a polite manner whilst glancing at the guild hall and was actually impressed of the structure.

"Wait..., you're the Wandering Wizard, aren't you?", Shiba Flowers said in recognition since he had earlier read a newspaper issue about the young woman dressed in classic wizard clothing and a hat whose face was much of blur to be seen.

"Yes, yes I am. Valeria Autumn, a freelancer wizard at your service. Your reputation precedes you, Sword Saint Shiba Flowers.", the Alvarez Mage introduced herself while addressing the elderly Guild Master's title much to the surprise of other members of Hound Holy.

From what she had learned from Ishgar's history through the archives of the massive library of August during her time as his apprentice, Shiba Flowers was an exceptionally skilled Mage swordsman from the Pergrande Kingdom, the largest country that is located in the easternmost part of Ishgar which links to the unexplored mainland, where he had earned the title _The Sword Saint_ after fighting alongside the Knights of the Blue Sky: Deerhound, Dalmatian, Alpine Spaniel and Clea Maltese during the war with Sin and Bellum backed up by Seven 50 years ago and later helped in Ishgar's defense against the unsanctioned Alvarez invasion by few members of the Spriggan 12 ten years ago later.

He had once fought as a mercenary in Bellum that was located east of Desierto, on the eastern shore of the large lake separating it from the nations of Desierto and Joya where it is extremely known as a brutal country, but despite that there are still a few cities that are located in this country and served as the battleground for countless wars and battles, gaining it the name _The Land of the Holy Wars_ and it has caused millions of deaths and also produced powerful Mages through fighting and combat experience, including Shiba Flowers himself before he eventually joined the Pergrandian military to rise up in ranks and become the legendary Sword Saint with his deeds of heroism and valor.

Although not a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, Shiba is considered to be granted an honorary status granted by the Magic Council not only because of his unparalleled Magic and skills but also of his great deal of wisdom, knowledge, compassion, and bravery which was immensely respected by other powerful Ishgarian Mages and warriors of their own right.

Even the Alvarez Empire had respected him of his strength including Dimaria Yesta admiring his warrior's spirit and honor despite her cynical personality, and Ajeel Ramal was more than eager to fight Shiba Flowers in battle. Neinhart also wanted to acquaint himself with him as fellow knights due to kindred spirit despite his antisocial personality.

"Ah, yes. I haven't been called by my prestigious title for a long long time my dear since my retirement from service.", Shiba noted sheepishly of the compliments from the Wandering Wizard as he stroked his beard and elaborated. "Of course, that is where I settled here in Fiore and founded my guild, Hound Holy in approval of the Council. It is not as big and famous just like Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus and even... Phantom Lord, but we are quite content of our current position."

Valeria can only nod in respect of the old Ishgarian warrior with a tug of her pointy hat she raised her hand with.

Recalling about one of the female Alvarez Mage's hobbies on the road he had picked up from the rumors, Shiba commented. "I've heard you are someone who makes fireworks, aren't you young lady? Well, looks like you're just in time. Garage Village is going to have a town festival and everything has been prepared. All that is left is the fireworks."

"I noticed that, sir. Very well. I am at your service. The payment for my services will be after the festivities' end. Is that alright?" Valeria said with a carefree smile which the Hound Holy Guild Master agreed to the terms of payment.

Exiting outside the guildhall, Val began unloading some of the Magical equipment and fireworks from her cart for the Garage Village's festivities in the midst of the people setting up tents and decorations. Setting up Magic fireworks, the Wandering Wizard noticed two female Mages of Hound Holy entering Garage Village after they have returned from a Job as safely assumed.

A beautiful, endowed young woman with long, somewhat spiky, purple hair and with a slim waist and curvaceous appearance. She wears a revealing, blue cloak with detached left sleeve and blue underwear with a brown belt and has brown straps on her long, blue stockings along with a brown collar and red string ribbon attached around her neck.

Another beautiful young woman with brown locks in a short hairstyle with also a curvaceous figure too as well. She wears a bikini top that sports a zigzag design covered with a fur coated sleeveless jacket; frilled, dark sleeves that are secured around their upper arm by a ribbon and a frilled, dark miniskirt; around said miniskirt is a ribbon that is tied in bow to keep it secure.

"Oh, it's you Bernicka and Reisha. Back from a Job again I assume? I take it that it went well...", Shiba happily greeted his fellow guild subordinates who were both famous in Sorcerer Weekly's _The Wizard I'd Like To Be My Girlfriend_ rankings 8th and 4th, and are the S-Class Mages of Hound Holy.

Reisha cheerfully smiled at who was like a father to her when she was young and helped her become a proud Mage of Hound Holy. "Yes, Master. Taking out a nest of hostile Lizardmen at the mountains near Seven was like a piece of cake!"

"Oh my. Look what we have here. The infamous Wandering Wizard herself... What brings her here to Hound Holy? Don't tell me she's finally joining the guild. There are already rumors about her rejection of joining every Guild she came across from Lamia Scale to Blue Pegasus. Phantom Lord, hopefully not. Heck, even Fairy Tail.", Bernicka noticed the female Alvarez Mage.

Chuckling, the Sword Saint told the young woman who once searched for a purpose as a Mage and joined his guild. "Rest assured Bernicka. She's not joining the guild. Miss Valeria is only here to provide the fireworks for the Garage Village's festivities and she is more than willing to help."

"So long the pay is good. Not too much, not too little but just simply enough.", the orange-haired young woman added in.

"Pfft. You sound like a mercenary for fireworks. Anyways, it would be awesome to add more of the majestic fireworks for the tonight's festival. The kids of Garage have already enjoyed your little sneak peak, right?", Reisha playfully commented with a wink.

"Indeed. My name is Valeria Autumn.", she said with her hand extended for a handshake which the brunette woman took it well.

"Reisha Whiteday. My partner here is Bernicka Rillafille. Nice to meet you Valeria... I would love to see your spectacular fireworks for tonight's festival.", the Hound Holy S-Class Mage said with a warm smile which the orange-haired girl returned the mutual feeling as they then provided assistance in setting up the fireworks for the Garage Village festival.

* * *

 _In the borders between Fiore and Seven_

Hidden from plain sight within the forest not far from Garage Village, there are over 200 Magic soldiers and Mages and some are 70 elite, composed entirely of men and women, dressed in militaristic-looking attires and armors and they are equipped with Magic weapons and items like an army unit. They bear the crests of the Seven-Pointed Star in their clothing and are proud to show it. Some wore concealing veils and helms around their faces while some don't at all.

"Attention all units! ...The prey is located in that village our scouts managed to find and the Dark wizards will serve as first wave of the attack before we move in. Prove your devotion to the Faith of the Seven.", an older man with a blonde hair with artificial black eyes, and has a scar on his face and wears a black and white robe.

His name is Nagan Grad, a captain of one of the Seven Scriptures, the Sunlight Scripture and he was ordered to assassinate a certain target by his superiors at the capital of Rosalba in the Holy Empire of Seven.

Being the captain of the Sunlight Scripture, Nagan had been involved in many illegal activities in the name of the Faith of the Seven as he's a religious fanatic that has been under the radar of the Magic Council which couldn't been traced back to him because he had hired few Dark Guilds to cover his tracks and do the dirty work as they're typically the bane in the order of the Magical world.

Everyone prayed in silence as it was a simplified prayer to The Father Above representing judgment, The Warrior representing strength in battle and The Crone representing wisdom while carrying out missions, even within domestic borders between Fiore and Seven, they have to take their time to pray.

However, it wasn't a simple prayer but they always had to exhibit their staunch and profound belief in the Faith of the Seven as these people who gave everything for the Holy Empire of Seven and to their country's religion, have more profound faith than the ordinary citizens and Mages. This was the reason why there were able to carry out such callous acts of crime without being "sinful".

After the prayer to their gods ended, the eyes of the members of the Sunlight Scripture became cold as ice like emotionless people with no sign of feelings at all.

"Commence.", he said.

They have then surrounded Garage Village with perfectly coordinated movements that gives the impression of the result of actual training. They were the knights of the Holy Empire of Seven specialized in carrying out illegal missions, only heard of, but never seen even under the noses of the Magic Council that haven't discovered their activities for years.

The Holy Empire of Seven had seven such groups called scriptures that and each of them had an intelligence agency as their typical duties is to uphold and protect the nation's interests and borders, and carry out the will of the Faith. Although they had many opportunities to do battle with the Dark Guilds that infested their grounds, their numbers aren't large, including the scouts as they numbered about at least 200 people.

It was because the entry to the Sunlight Scripture is narrow because they have requirements to join: one would had to be able to use high level Holy Magic and the standard Magic and even Lost Magic that was commonly used by all Mages of the continent that S-Class-caliber Severenth Mages were expected to know, and they had to possess superior physical abilities, discipline, resilience and spirit along with the deep faith in their religion.

In short, they were the cream-crop in Seven.

Watching the men and women around him, the blonde man deeply exhaled as once they dispersed, it would be difficult to track all of their movements when it comes to deployment in the battlefield. But he had complete faith in his flawless strategy.

With the success of the task given by the Regents of the Holy Empire, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture felt at ease in his heart.

"... Do we have the ability to defeat him, sir? The legendary Sword Saint Shiba Flowers...", his subordinate asked as he stood by next to him.

Nagan didn't laugh at his lieutenant's anxiety as the target was Shiba Flowers of the Pergrande Kingdom who had retired from his 50 years of service and settled in the neutral Kingdom of Fiore. One of the strongest warriors alive in the present and is still considered powerful in his own right despite his advanced age. The old man was no mere pushover when it comes to fighting with the sword. He was the figure that was considered a legend in Ishgar and alone he was worth the strength of an entire army of elite swordsmen even if he were 50 years younger.

The reason why did they intent to assassinate the Sword Saint was mainly for political and stupid reasons. As Shiba was hailed as the legendary hero, he was despised by other people who looked down on him, mainly some of the proud and arrogant nobles of Pergrande Kingdom or were humiliated after he defeated them in battle such as other warriors and Mages who prided greatly in their abilities from the war between the said kingdom and Sin and Bellum backed by Seven.

If he dies by their hand, it would look like some powerful Dark Guild, maybe, one of the Balam Alliance which would either be Grimoire Heart, Oracion Seis or even Tartarus, would be pinned as the culprit behind the old man's death along with the destruction of the village where he and his guild resided. However, his death would cause a major uproar and an international incident between the Kingdoms of Fiore and Pergrande which would potentially spark a war despite the former's neutrality.

Killing such a powerful man despite his advanced age like Shiba Flowers was deemed wasteful and foolish even Nagan saw that.

But orders are orders. Nagan couldn't refuse from the word of Seven Regents dictated by the Faith and the Sunlight Scripture would have to obey them no matter what kind of intentions behind the orders are.

"There won't be any problems. Right now, he is far from any reinforcements. He only has his guild, Hound Holy to back him up. The Fiore Royal Army and the Rune Knight of the Council will be slow to respond until it's too late and any possible escape and communications will be blocked by our Jutsu Shiki barriers after we surrounded the village. If we defeat his guild, killing him should take no difficulty at all like a piece of cake.", he replied.

After hearing his superior's answer, the Sunlight Scripture lieutenant had simply nodded his head in approval. After all, the Sunlight Scripture had collected information on Shiba Flowers' every strength and weakness for years including his Hound Holy guild who are only comprised of admirably formidable but apparently undisciplined Fiorian Mages.

His troops are not mere ordinary Magic soldiers, but battle-hardened veterans from fighting Dark Mages in their country and only the finest of them in Seven were able to join the Sunlight Scripture.

Shiba's strengths and weakness could be countered and exploited through teamwork although his advanced age may help them with that unlike the typical reckless charge into battle except for the few Dark Guilds they have hired as cannon fodder as first wave.

Smirking with confidence, Nagan gave the word. "Well then... Commence the attack..."

* * *

 _Meanwhile back in Garage Village_

As Valeria continued setting up more fireworks with Reisha and Bernicka assisting and the rest of Hound Holy helping with the festivities' decorations and necessities, they heard a cry of help from one of the townspeople of Garage followed by several pillars of smoke emerging from the buildings.

"Help! Dark wizards attacking the village!", a townsman yelled.

Soon enough, crowds of villagers ran for their lives and headed to the safety of Hound Holy guildhall as groups of Dark Mages are laying waste to Garage Village and killed or injured several people with their weapons and Magic.

Gritting her teeth as if she was having a really bad day, Bernicka issued her orders. "Dark wizards here? In Garage? Now that's something you don't see every day... Everyone spread out and deal with the invaders! If you see any typical sneers and murderous looks of killing intents from those guys, it's them and take them out with everything you got!"

"Find any stranded people left behind and bring them to the guild hall! We'll keep them safe until the whole crisis is over!", Reisha added in.

"Hai!" Every single member of Hound Holy took up arms and move in to save the townsfolk and the village from the Dark Mages.

Sighing gravely as if it weighs on him, the Sword Saint commented. "Never before in my life 50 years ago, we would be attacked like this. Any attack on Garage Village is an attack on my guild. I won't let them get away with this... Miss Valeria, will you help us defend Garage Village without any payment of compensation?"

The Wandering Wizard simply reassured, "Don't worry, I won't ask to be paid for this, Master Shiba. I am only here to set up the fireworks for the festival as a part of my usual job and that's that. Now let's go kick some ass."

At the streets of Garage, numerous gangs of Dark Mages enjoyed wreaking chaos and havoc upon the townsfolk as much as they please with malice and sadism but suddenly they were quickly intercepted by the Hound Holy Mages who immediately engaged them in battle.

Both Mages of Legal and Dark clashed with their Magics and weapons at each other, and even their melee combat styles as they fired Spells and they hacked and slashed, punched and kicks where several or dozens of men and women collapsing unconscious with their wounds bleeding from the physical and Magical assaults they have sustained.

Buildings and streets have been significantly damaged because of their heavy fighting and skirmishes.

Although they caught Garage Village in a surprise sneak attack on them, the Dark Mages have soon lost the momentum and they were taken down one by one as the Hound Holy Mages counterattacked with Reisha and Bernicka leading them.

Hound Holy may not be one of the top Guilds of the Kingdom of Fiore but their members can put up one heck of a fight especially their Guild Master who is the legendary Sword Saint even in retirement while the Guild's S-Class Mages, Reisha and Bernicka were quick to dispatch them easily alongside Valeria who joined in the defense too that further stamped out the remaining attackers on their town with Magic.

"T-this can't be! They told us that this would be easy!", a leader of the Dark Mages group yelled before being cut down by the Sword Saint when the former tried to defend himself with his Magic.

Other Dark Mages panicked at the sight of an angry old man who is the Guild Master of Hound Holy who wielded his old sword made of sharp Magically-enchanted Adamantium steel made by Galein Musica because his original weapon was given to his successor who is a member of the said Guild at some point in the past.

"You're in my home turf you arrogant youngsters. Get the hell out of my village! **Throttle Slash!** ", Shiba yelled as he readied his sword and quickly dashed at the remainder of the horde of Dark Mages with his broadsword and his Sword Magic, forcing those who witnessed his strength to flee but were quickly stopped by Val's Magic barrier around them and allowed Reisha to knock them out with her Magic shots that went through the barrier to precisely hit them.

The green-haired young woman in a red tube dress named Reina Josephine, a member of Hound Holy dryly commented after taking down the last one with a silver-shaped halberd, "Dark wizards... I never liked such filthy men."

After the Dark Mages' attack on the village has been fended off, they were nothing more than cannon fodder as Shiba noticed some of the attackers bear the insignia of the Holy Empire of Seven underneath their casual civilian clothing and dreaded the worst just when another set of bad news came along.

"Master Shiba! We've been surrounded! ", a member of Hound Holy exclaimed after running back to report to his guild master and comrades.

Sighing that there's another problem after dealing with last one, Shiba gave word to his guild subordinates. "Take the wounded at the hospital wing for their injuries and everyone else still standing arm yourselves."

Everyone obeyed their Guild Master's orders as they took their injured comrades to be treated of their wounds at the Hound Holy guildhall hospital wing and escorted the surrendered/unconscious Dark Mages to the town's prison while the rest readied themselves for an anticipated enemy attack.

Taking a little peek through the windows in Garage Village after the rest of the guild positioned themselves in case they attack, Shiba donned in his Laminar armor over his uniform, with the gardbrace, breastplate, and vambrace embellished with similar, wing-like patterns back in his old days and analyzed the opponents who had dared attack his Guild and this village.

The Sword Saint saw at least several Mages dressed in militaristic-looking priestly robes with floating Angels hovering at their sides along with the numerous warriors and fighters ready to kill and draw blood, and then estimated their strength and numbers beforehand as his guild subordinate stood by his side.

"You're right. There are people and they don't look like your average Dark wizards here in Fiore. They're too well-armed and well-equipped to be a Dark Guild here.", the old man noted.

"They've surrounded the village in equally spaced intervals.", the young man who wields a battle-axe commented.

"Who are they exactly?", Valeria asked while taking a look at their enemies too as well.

"Only the Holy Empire of Seven could send out this many Mages at once and they're part of the Special Ops Unit directly under the Head Priest. They must be from the Seven Scriptures. Strange, why are they doing here in Fiore?...", Shiba explained.

From what the female Alvarez Mage learned from the archives of her country earlier in her studies, Seven is one of Ishgar's countries and it quite stands out a bit because of a theocratic empire governed by seven Regents as their rule is justified by the Severenths' belief in the seven deities of the Seven-Pointed Star who is said to have created Earth Land and founded the nation after them.

Aforementioned religion of the Faith of the Seven is infrequently challenged due to its zealousness of the followers, as the consequences of doing so could potentially be dire, due to the religious order's great political influence mostly by the Zentopia Church, a religious organization in Fiore who follows the one true God and other religions of Ishgar's countries such as Iceberg's old gods of the winter, Caelum's sky gods, Enca's storm gods and Desierto's deities of the desert.

As a result of almost lacking secularism and strict enforcement of a systematic society, Seven is considered to be a bit more developed than its advanced neighbors in terms of academic discoveries and has a considerably less than higher illiteracy rate, while simultaneously struggling with an uneven distribution of wealth in its population and shaky control of the country's vassals and Guilds but, over years passed, it had grown quite stable and strong enough in its own right through the seven different religious sects, each with its own specialized intelligence agency.

However, despite being split into different factions, the groups will still cooperate when necessary and each sect holds respect for the Faith of the Seven beyond their own where they also used to send missionaries far and wide in the country to convert people to their indigenous faith but stopped due to the influence of Zentopia Church, the strongest religious power in the continent.

"They, the ones who attacked earlier...", Val wondered out loud but the Sword Saint quickly answered. "They were dressed as Dark wizards in civilian clothing although some are the real Dark wizards but it looks like they were actually from Seven."

"I see... Does this village hold much value or are they after someone here?", she asked.

"None. Garage Village is one of the towns at the north of Fiore near the borders and there are others who held much value such as the trade routes between countries in this continent. I'm guessing that they must be after me.", Shiba explained much to the shock of Hound Holy.

Clad in half-full plate armor similar of her attire just for battle, Reisha wondered in disbelief. "Why? Why would the Sunlight Scripture target Master Shiba of all people? That doesn't make any sense."

"Judging from the fact, it looks like you were quite despised.", Valeria commented which the Sword Saint sheepishly noted that he earned the ire of the Pergrandian nobles with his blunt and hotheaded attitude when he was young 50 years ago but finds it petty and stupid to have arranged an assassination on him along with the village and his guild as collateral damage that he finds it sickening and pathetic.

Turning to the spiky blue-haired young woman who's also clad in half-full plate armor for protection, Shiba asked. "Bernicka, have you contacted them lately? We may need their help in this battle."

Bernicka shook her head and said in a grim tone shared with some of her fellow guildmates. "I tried to make contact with Haru, Julius, Let, Julia and Musica but the communication Lacrima is jammed. Must be those Severenths' doing. Nothing gets in or out... We're on our own..."

That somehow made things worse for Hound Holy and the Garage Village.

"So those guys you mentioned are the best fighters of Hound Holy?", Val asked in interest and wonder.

Reisha replied back as she nodded in confirmation. "Of course Val, they are. Hound Holy may not be as famous as the prominent Guilds in Fiore but Haru, Musica, Julia, Let, and Julius are the S-Class Mages of the guild. Myself and Bernicka included. Our team are the Rave Warriors. Knowing that they're out on different Jobs on the any side of the country while Shuda Rhapsodia, our Ace, is still on a long journey on his own. We are at the worst possible time when those Severenth bastards showed up."

Then Reina added in more about their opponents, "Going up against those guys would be considered suicidal. They are one of the Seven Scriptures of the Holy Empire of Seven for reason. Unlike typical Dark Guilds or any group who would just simply charge into battle recklessly, they have tactics and strategy that could even bring down even a powerful Guild if used in precised coordination and teamwork without much effort. And plus, they have some formidable wizards and Magic soldiers in their ranks Seven has to offer."

 _Tactics and strategy huh?... Well, two can play at that game. Hehehehe..._ , Valeria thought before she simply smirked in response. "Hey guys, I have a plan..."

Everyone then stared at the Wandering Wizard in brief confusion.

* * *

 _In the outskirts outside Garage Village_

After relaying the plan Valeria Autumn had in mind several hours ago, Shiba Flowers and a dozen Mages from his guild Hound Holy, all equipped in full-plate armor and weapons, marched outside the village to face the Sunlight Scripture who were more than ready to execute their strategy to defeat him and the Fiorian guild just as they planned in mind.

 _"Alright,_ _here's the plan. Hound Holy will be divided into three groups. Reisha and her team will take the left flank while Bernicka's team covers the right flank to take out the majority of their forces and Angels before facing the Sunlight Scripture with a three-way assault in a hit-and-run and pincer movement maneuver strategy. Master Shiba will be the one to lead the frontal assault as he's the Sunlight Scripture's main target and would be solely focused on him..."_ , Val explained her strategy to Hound Holy earlier through a Magical projection of the battlefield map she made.

"We need to break through the encirclement of the village! Our only goal is to bait those Severenths into solely focusing on us in our frontal assault while Reisha and Bernicka flanked them on both sides just as our strategist explained to us before the battle begins! After that, all groups will attack them on three sides!", the Sword Saint shouted that the Hound Holy members understood.

She then added more, _"Hit 'em hard and fast. Don't lose the momentum in the battle at stake for the village. They won't know what's happening before it's too late even if they knew. Since they're military-styled group, they wouldn't expect a Guild filled of 'undisciplined and rowdy' wizards, who would typically charge recklessly into battle, fighting with a plan after all. Hehehehe."_

"Charge! Tear them a new one!", Shiba yelled out his orders which the men and women of the guild shouted back in return with war cries.

After marching to meet their foes in the battlefield outside Garage Village, Hound Holy led by Shiba charged head on into battle at the force of 200 members of the Sunlight Scripture who then sent the Angels and their warriors to attack with their melee-styled Magics imbued in their weapons while their Mages with area-of-effect and ranged Magics support from the distance.

Shiba was the first one to throw the first strike as he cut down three to four Angels with a quick swing of his sword and then slashed several Sunlight Scripture fighters like a hot knife through butter. And the rest of his guild subordinates, they began clashing with the Severenth Mages and Angels too where they managed to push them back although started to take losses in the fight as well.

"You're in my way! **Whirlwind** **Tornado!** ", the Sword Saint yelled as he then twirled himself around with the Magic sword glowing blue extending so fast, forming a blazing wind of ferocious tornado that sent numerous enemies and opponents flying when they are struck by his attack.

Not wasting anymore time, Shiba then executed a series of six strikes, the first three being vertical thrusts, and the latter three being horizontal thrusts, creating a figure of a cross. **"Holy Crucifixion!"**

Using two powerful Sword Magic spells, dozens of Angels and Severenth Mages were instantly cut down by Shiba Flowers in a blink of an eye without even realizing what's going on just right in front of them. The old man then continued cutting his way through many Angels and human opponents in a blink of an eye without them realizing as fast as if he was 50 years younger in the past before his eventual retirement.

 **"Pace of the Wind! Sixfold Slash! Focus Fighting Strike! Instant Counter!"** , he continued his attacks every time he charged at his opponents who were sent flying and badly injured greatly by an old man.

After defeating more than 40 men and a lot of Angels just by his himself, the Hound Holy Guild Master stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath before noticing the leader of the enemy complimenting him of his abilities.

"Impressive. Your skills haven't been rusted after 50 years and you have taken down numerous Angels and my subordinates with ease. As expected of the Sword Saint himself, but it's not enough.", Nagan praised his opponent before issuing an order to his men. "Summon the next set of Archangels of Flame to replace our losses. Everyone, focus your Magical attacks on Shiba Flowers."

 _I'm getting too old for this shit but that doesn't mean I won't stop kicking and screaming!_ , Shiba cursed his old age but was not willing to give up just yet even if it kills him as he steels himself for another attack while the Hound Holy Mages continued engaging the Angels and Severenth troops.

The Sunlight Scripture Mages then summoned several glowing blue Magic circles from the ground and a new batch of Angels emerged ready to join in the battle as ordered by their captain in command during the ongoing battle.

Suddenly explosions from both sides emerged that got both sides' attention just as a Severenth Magic soldier ran in panicking manner. "Captain Nagan! Our left and right sides has been flanked! The ring has been broken! Arrghhh!"

The man was then pierced in the shoulder by a silver-shaped weapon wielded by Reina who was with Reisha in the left flank assault and summoned a silver Magic circle in her hand extending. **"Silver-Make: Spear Rain!"**

Vortices of silver appear from multiple directions, which then unleashed salvos of silver spears from the sky at the Severenths followed by another Spell of her Silver-Make Magic. **"** **Silver-Make: Silver Emperor!"**

A huge and powerful figure in the guise of an emperor, made out of silver, emerged from the Magic circle she placed on the ground and started its onslaught on the Angels and the Sunlight Scripture members trying to take it down with their Magics and abilities but it was a formidable creation Reina had made.

Reisha joined in the battle with her fellow comrades and fired her tonfas at the enemy through twin yellow Magic circles. "Let's show those idiots to not mess with Hound Holy! **Light's Orb of Fury!** "

Two yellow Magic circles formed twin orbs of light which merged together into one big orb that was then fired at the Sunlight Scripture Mages and their Angels that sent most of them flying or pushed back by such powerful attack along with the destruction of the surrounding area.

At the right flank, Bernicka followed in as well after she and her group managed to catch their enemies in surprise too and joined in the battle with the groups of Reisha and their Guild Master. "Charge!", she yelled before summoning a blue Magic circle from her staff.

 **"Wave Motion Force!"** A huge shockwave of Magical energy fired at her enemies that further broke their lines of formation, further surprising them as a result.

Seeing all groups from both flanks have gathered together into one place, Shiba Flowers raised his sword at the enemy before running towards them which his fellow guild members have their morale strengthened again and charged at the Severenths.

Shocked at the sight of the Hound Holy Mages taking his forces head-on in three fronts which even he did not see that coming, Nagan recomposes himself before firing a Light Magic spell at Shiba who parried it off with a swing of his blade. "All men, regroup on me and proceed to counterattack. Let's teach these Fiorians not to underestimate the Sunlight Scripture."

The other members of the group obeyed their commanding officer's orders and formed up in order not to be separated form each other although some few have already fallen in battle by their enemies, and started to fight back against Hound Holy attacking them on all three sides. They fought with everything they got: Magic, weapons, even their fists if they have to.

It was nearly a battle of equals between the Mages of Fiore and Seven at the Garage Village.

However as the battle progressed almost until sunset, the members of Hound Holy soon began to fall down due to fatigue and wounds by their opponents who managed to recover from their surprise attack and fought back against the three-sided attack. But the damage has been done, the fighting strength of Sunlight Scripture has been significantly reduced to at least 30 men out of 200 as Hound Holy had struck back at them on three sides despite the tactics and abilities of the Severenth Mages and Angels.

As some of the Hound Holy members collapsed in exhaustion or in their wounds sustained while the remainder continued fighting on, Shiba who was exhausted too, was constantly bombarded with numerous Spells from the Sunlight Scripture Mages from a distance and attacked by Angels and warriors of the said group in close range melee combat.

Reisha, Bernicka and Reina were one of the few members still left standing alongside their Guild Master in the face of their enemy from another country next to Fiore. They pushed back the enemy troops and held their ground as much as possible but it was a losing battle somewhat as they're slowly overwhelmed. Not even the Silver Emperor could help them as it was pierced and surrounded by more Angels trying to take it down.

While Shiba, on the other hand, continued slashing, hacking and parrying as many Angels and Sunlight Scripture fighters as his strength allows him to that further cuts down their strength in numbers as much as possible.

Powerful as he was as shown in testament of his Magic and skills of the sword against many opponents all at once, old age seemed to have been quite of a hindrance and years of retirement from battle must have really let him go. But that did not stop him from keep on fighting and further reducing the enemy strength which worked quite well in Val's plan.

But then the old man spits out blood when the Angel managed to stab him in the back followed by a large armored Sunlight Scripture member punching him with a strong Magic-encased fist so hard that sent him flying but the former retained his footing on the ground upon landing. His legs nearly failed him when he was about to collapse but immediately planted his sword on the ground to keep him from collapsing like a dead man.

"Master!", the girls cried out in shock and horror.

They tried to come to Shiba's aid but were cut off by more swarms of Angels standing in their way and continued assaulting them with no signs of stopping, which further sapped of their fighting strength and Magical power.

Seeing that the victory is at near hand, Nagan ordered the Sunlight Scripture. "Finish him off. However, don't attack with just one. Make sure to ensure his death with multiple Angels and everyone attack all at once. After he's dead, deal with the remaining stragglers still persistently fighting a futile fight they have already lost."

Just as the Angels and Severenth fighters are closing on him while the Mages readied their Spells in order to deal with the finishing blow, the Sword Saint grits his teeth and grips on his weapon as he willed his battered, bloodied and bruised aged body to forcefully stand tall and proud in defiance.

"DON'T YOU DARE UNDERESTIMATE ME YOU BRATS!", Shiba yelled from the bottom of his lungs that shocked the Sunlight Scripture and even the Angels too as he got up and readied his blade again. "I am the Guild Master of Hound Holy! I am the one who loves and protects my Guild and the village! There is no way in hell I'd lose to young upstarts of this goddamned generation and scum like you! Even if you would go such lengths just to kill me for such petty reasons from those bloody nobles from Pergrande am I right?!"

"You will die here precisely because you spout such nonsense, old man. Sword Saint Shiba Flowers, what can you do in that state? Your Guild is near defeat and you are alone in the face of death... And yes, I would agree in your opinions about the reason behind our intent to kill you. It's a great shame to kill the legendary warrior well known throughout Ishgar such as you but orders are orders. Blame politics... *sighs* Once we kill you, we will massacre the villagers and the remainder of your beloved Guild. Stop this futile resistance and fall quietly. As an act of mercy, I will make sure your death is painless.", Nagan said before he then gloated about his group's intentions afterward.

Instead of falling into despair as Nagan expected, the elderly swordsman simply smirked and chuckled as if he had the last laugh, "Heh, you're the foolish one boy. There is another wizard who's a lot more stronger than I and my guild in that village and I would thank her for the strategy she devised in order to weaken your strength. It does not take brawn to solve everything after all. I have my sword and she has her strategic mind. That young woman is a genius, she'll be able to defeat all of you just by herself thinking about killing the villagers she's protecting for us, is an impossible task."

Disregarding his warning about Valeria Autumn that he would surely regret sooner than later, Nagan gave the Angels and his men an order to finish the Sword Saint off. "A bluff? Angels. Everyone. Kill Shiba."

 _"Alright, that's enough. Time for you to withdraw. I already got the rest of Hound Holy out of the battlefield. You've done well. I'll take over..."_ , Val telepathically communicated to Shiba who was suddenly inside the Hound Holy guildhall with the rest of Garage villagers and his guild members of Hound Holy lying down unconscious and tired from the fatigue or were wounded of their injuries in battle as they're being treated by the village healers and medics.

"T-this is...?", the old man muttered in surprise and confusion.

The mayor of Garage Village explained upon approaching, "It is your guildhall, Master Shiba. Miss Valeria has set up a Magic barrier here before she left and suddenly you and everyone from Hound Holy appeared in her place."

Noticing all of the members of his guild are all accounted for including Reisha, Bernicka and Reina who were unconscious too from battle fatigue as well, it gave the Hound Holy Guild Master a sense of relief that the Wandering Wizard will be the one to finish the job out there since they have already played their part in her strategy of weakening the Severenths' strength.

"Okay I will leave everything to you Miss Valeria... Give 'em hell...", Shiba said with a small smile, remembering her previous words to him earlier, before he dropped his broadsword and finally collapsed in exhaustion and relief that everything will soon be alright and then everything went black...

* * *

 _Meanwhile back in the battle near Garage Village_

As the wind blows over in the sun setting skies of Earth Land and night will soon emerge, Valeria stood stoically with her staff in her hand while having a smoking pipe in her mouth in front of one of the Seven Scriptures of the Holy Empire who are briefly confused of the sudden disappearance of Hound Holy and its Guild Master and now her appearance.

"Who are you?", Nagan Grad stoically demanded at the young woman dressed in a classic wizard clothing who is smoking a pipe casually.

The female Alvarez Mage cheerfully greeted the Sunlight Scripture with a polite bow. "Nice to meet you, people of the Holy Empire of Seven. My name is Valeria Autumn, freelancer wizard, at your service. I am in a middle of a Job preparing the fireworks for the Garage Village festivities by the way."

"Have you come to beg for the lives of the villagers and Hound Holy?", the leader of the Sunlight Scripture asked in a hint of malice but he didn't recognize her by infamous epithet and assumed Valeria to be a Fiorian Mage.

"No, no, actually... I overheard your conversation with Master Shiba Flowers in the fight previously. You really had a lot of balls.", she replied back before continuing. "You announced that you'll massacre the villagers and Hound Holy after killing the legendary Sword Saint himself. I cannot imagine anything more than offensive for Severenths like you. Stooping at the level of Dark wizards."

"Offensive?! Big words, Fiorian wizard. So what will you do about? Your ignorance is just pitiful, girl. You will end up paying dearly for that foolishness.", Nagan retorted back in a smug face.

Puffing another smoke from her pipe, Valeria commented. "Oh? Are you sure about that? Do you not think that if I had no chance of victory, I would just abandon that man to his fate along with the rest of his guild by your hands? I think not. Instead I came here and let Hound Holy sit this one out for now, because I was sure of my victory. Fufufufufu."

Glancing at the flying armored knights with angelic wings hovering above the Sunlight Scripture members, the orange-haired girl thought to herself in analysis firsthand to study her enemy. **_Mana Essence..._** _So that's Angel Magic..._ _Either by Caster or Holder Magic, it revolves around the summoning of angelic beings through the use of golden Angel Coins that are capable of producing different kinds of damage, depending on the kind of angel summoned. It is believed that the Magic is miraculous and will wash away the wielder's 'sins' with a 'holy light'. As expected of the Holy Empire of Seven._

Then taking a look at the Severenth Mages who were behind the summoning of Angelic beings, she continued. _However, such Magic suffers from two notable drawbacks: the summoning of angels will shorten the caster's life span and will inflict great pain onto them every time the summoned angel is defeated. But_ _in some instances it is shown that wizards using Angel Magic may not need a cost to summon the angels so it's assuming that they used the 'safer' version of that type of Magic._

"Enough of your monologue, girl. Where is Shiba?", Nagan demanded for the man he was being assigned to kill for political (and stupid) reasons by his country.

"I teleported him and Hound Holy back to the village of Garage earlier when I showed up here just in time.", Val answered like she didn't respect his authority at all as she continued smoking.

"Lying will not help you, we can just search the village-", the blonde older man scoffed but was quickly interrupted.

"I am not lying, my good sir. I have no reason too at all. Besides, you fanatic guys pissed me off. If you surrender without resisting, I will take care to make it all painless and then send you to be arrested by the Magic Council for your attempts to kill the good man who just retired peacefully and intending to start a war in your 'oh-so-holy' campaign. I have all the evidence of your actions recorded in a Lacrima safely in my hands as testimony.", the Wandering Wizard said.

She then smirked a sweet yet little bit terrifying smile on her own that unnerved Nagan for some reason. "But... If you are foolish enough to refuse my offer, however, I will make you suffer and despair... Don't worry I will be gentle."

"Have the Angels attack! Kill her!", the man quickly ordered two Archangels of Flame to charge and kill Valeria Autumn right on the spot.

 **"Wind Shooter...** ", Val slowly swung her staff to fire a succession of sharp winds towards her targets and shot down the Angels before they even try impale her with their holy flaming swords much to the Severenths' surprise.

The orange-haired young woman commented dryly as she then put away her pipe. "Didn't I tell you that you have no chance of victory against me? And also, don't you know it's important to listen to the warnings of others? That's kinda rude you know."

"Oh, I would like to thank Hound Holy in reducing your forces into no less than 20 good men left as a part of my hit-and-run and pincer maneuver strategy before I come in to take over and finish the job. Otherwise, it would have been troublesome for me. I'm not the type of directly opposing the enemy that has greater advantage without a plan after all.", the Wandering Wizard said.

Meanwhile back in the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu sneezed again for some reason much to the worry and concern of Happy and Lucy, which he reassures them that he's fine and then quickly pinned the blame on Gray again for making him catch cold, causing another guild brawl again.

"Well, then... It's my turn now. Here I come! Fair warning though, it's gonna be a massacre.", the female Alvarez Mage said as she then unsheathed her sword at her side which is a sign that she has gone serious.

 _That explains why their attacks are quite organized back then earlier. With only a few hundred members of Hound Holy, two S-Class wizards, and our target Shiba Flowers against my elite unit of 70 men of greater S-Class caliber supported by a dozen summoned Angels and two hundred warriors capable of taking down this lowly Fiorian guild, they've managed to hold on their own against me! I see... She's their strategist..._ , Nagan angrily thought in realization as his teeth gritted before he gave another order for the kill.

"Have all the Angels attack at once! Warriors of the Faith! Charge! Hurry! After she's dead, destroy the village and kill everyone you can find! No mercy!", he yelled which his subordinates immediately complied.

Dozens of Angels brandishing holy weapons of light except the last one and the Sunlight Scripture fighters holding their weapons imbued with Magical energy then charged all together simultaneously towards Valeria Autumn who slowly raised her staff and sword high as her arms can reach and a blinding white glow of Magical energy building up into a large looking orb ready to be unleashed.

"YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS! **Destructive Blast!** "

Valeria then slammed down her staff which causes a massive shockwave of Magical power followed by debris exploding and erupting that had completely destroyed the Angels and sent numerous warriors flying high into the sky where they crashed down bleeding and unconscious, further reducing the Severenths' forces to about 15 members left.

"Wha...?! I-i-impossible!", Nagan said in disbelief but suddenly remembered Shiba's words to him earlier. _Heh, you're the foolish one boy. There is another wizard who's a lot more stronger than I and my guild in that village and I would thank her for the strategy she devised in order to weaken your strength. It does not take brawn to solve everything after all. I have my sword and she has her strategic mind._

"Wha...?!", a female Sunlight Scripture Mage who appears to be healer dressed as a nun exclaimed.

"M-monster!", another Sunlight Scripture member equipped with a seven-pointed star-shaped cross weapon panicked.

"There are other stronger Fiorian wizards out here in this country?!", a middle-aged Sunlight lancer yelled.

Almost immediately, every single member of the Sunlight Scripture from the Holy Empire of Seven summoned forth Magic circles of different colors and runes from their hands and weapons and staves at the Wandering Wizard while the remaining rest charged towards her directly.

 **"Sacred Beam** **!"** A glowing white Magic beam was fired from a priest-like Severenth Mage which she dodged by sidestepping and fired her Magic beam of light at him, knocking out cold and unconscious after sending him flying right next to Nagan.

 **"Poison!"** The female Alvarez Mage quickly dodged the deadly-looking Acid Magic spell from the seven-pointed star-shaped cross weapon wielding man in his dash of speed before clashing him with her sword in a few blows and parries, and then struck him in the head with her staff in a frontal swing so hard that his eyeballs nearly bulged out of his sockets of his skull.

After taking him down, a hammer-wielding man of great physique slammed his slegdehammer weapon into the ground and unleashed area-of-effect Earth Spell, **"Shockwave!"**

Parrying the attack with a wave of her staff, she slashed her sword at the man and struck him down in a strong vertical strike after trading a few blows of their weapons in a brief period of time and sent him flying with a small scale version of her **Destructive Blast** from her staff.

 **"Charm!"** Val quickly punched the guy's face out cold the moment he chanted that spell as if he's trying to magically thrall her under his control in close-range with Teleportation in front of him. Seriously? Charm? That's so lame.

 **"Hold!"** A restricting Spell tried to entrap her with contact of the skin but the Wandering Wizard used **Dispel** quickly and swung her staff at the perverted-looking man's face, knocking his teeth out completely due to the fact he was about grab her chest.

 **"Iron Hammer of Righteousness!"** A large robed but armored man tried to smash Val with his gauntlet infused with a powerful Magical energy but was quickly cut down by the latter and his attack misfired which caused a huge explosion of holy light on the ground, accidentally hitting his own comrades.

Suddenly Valeria was struck in the back by another offensive spell from above by a robed Mage with flames on his palm. **"Fire Rain!"**

 **"Confusion!"** A support spell from a staff-wielding Sunlight Scripture member had hit her in an intent to briefly confuse the young woman long enough for his comrades to assault her with everything they got.

 **"Earth-Make: Charge of Stalagmite!"** A masked man conjured a sharp-looking earth blade was summoned from the ground via yellow Magic circle he slammed into the ground and fired towards the target in explosive dust cloud.

 **"Open Wounds!"** A deadly Spell of Curse Magic meant to cause the minor wounds to accelerate into fatal ones was fired by the healer-type female Severenth.

 **"Energy Slash!"** A lancer-wielding man swung his weapon that produces a Magical energy-imbued slash towards his target.

 **"Word of Curse!"** Another Sunlight Scripture member chanted a Darkness spell at his opponent.

 **"Blindness!"** An older Sunlight Scripture Mage then struck her blind with a blast of light resembling a magnified sunbeam.

After a series of combined Magical attacks from the remaining Severenths had seemingly finished off Valeria Autumn, the other members cheered that the Wandering Wizard has been defeated although Nagan doubted it at first but then decided to go along with their seeming victory and finish what they have started. But their victory is short-lived.

Emerging from the smoke, Valeria was shown to be relatively unharmed albeit covered in soot and some injuries are bleeding from the Open Wounds spell as she was protected by Magical shield to protect himself from enemy attacks much to the Severenths' dismay. **"Shield of Istari..."**

Another Sunlight Scripture member panicked in desperation as he then tried to fire an Explosive Lacrima iron ball-shaped projectile from his wrist-worn slingshot but Val simply swung her staff right back at him, taking the hit right in the head instead and was sent flying as a result as he suffers a bleeding head injury.

"What happened?...", the older blonde captain of the Sunlight Scripture wondered in confusion.

"Explosive Lacrima? A small bomb shaped like a crystal that explodes upon contact. Each bomb is worth approximately 5,000 Jewels, am I right? Anyways, congratulations, you managed to hurt me with all of your powers combined. However, I am not out of this fight just yet. **Light Healing...** ", Val commented before healing herself in green warm light after a green Magic circle appeared that sealed up her wounds as if it never happened much to the disbelief of the Severenths as their combined attacks has almost been for naught.

"Principality of Observation! Attack! Strike her down with your holy mace!", Nagan then ordered the angel embodied in armor with a long robe covering up its legs and has four wings to step forth into battle.

The high level Angel then summons a huge mace made of divine power and equips a round shield with an image of the sun on its left arm through a white/yellow Magic circle before it attempted to strike Valeria in a close-range melee attack but the latter dodged it by jumping high in the sky with **Teleportation**.

"Damn! That was a close one. Perhaps it's time for me to fight back too. **Shot Bomb!** ", the Wandering Wizard then fired the explosive orb from her staff with a red Magic circle and significantly damaged it before finishing the Principality of Observation off with a sword slash imbued with Magic power, cutting down in half upon descending into the ground.

"S-she took down the Principality of Observation with an Explosion spell and cut it down in half with her sword?... That's impossible! There's no way a high leveled Angel could be destroyed like that!", Nagan exclaimed in great shock.

"Captain Nagan! What should we do?", a nearby Sunlight Scripture member asked.

Brandishing a Sealing Crystal gifted by the Seven Regents of the Holy Empire, Nagan declared with full of confidence. "We will summon the highest level Angel, our trump card!"

 _Huh? That's... Based on how it glows, that's a Sealing Crystal that can seal any Magic other than top tier Spells. Guess, they're going to summon their trump card. They're taking me seriously now... Good. This game is about to end in my favour... Fufufufu._ , Val noted in observation.

"Look the shining form of the highest of Angels! _O, the messenger of the Seven Gods! Come! Show us your might and bring down the enemy that dares defy the will of our Faith!_ **Dominion of Authority!** ", Nagan boasted as he unsealed the Sealing Crystal with a chant that reveals the largest Angel brought into summoning in the battlefield.

Its head and body are obscured it is covered with numerous glowing feathered wings and is decorated with royal tablets. It also wields a large staff. At the front of its head, a glowing divine magic circle is emitted. The Dominion of Authority's aura bathes the area in holy white-blue light and brings a slight fragrance to the air that raises the morale of the remaining Severenths.

This time, they would definitely be able to kill Valeria Autumn and it would the girl's turn to be fearful to face the power of the Faith of the Seven as she will soon know how foolish she was to dare resist them all by herself, the Sunlight Scripture of the Holy Empire of Seven.

"This Angel is your strongest trump card?", Val asked in surprise.

"That's right girl. I have determined that you are worthy enough to use this item in order to summon one of the strongest Angels in existence!", the Sunlight Scripture captain gloated with huge glee.

"I'm speechless... I must be so honored to be under the grace of such beautiful Angel summoned by such despicable people like you.", she said sarcastically in a mock facepalm as her response, further angering the Sunlight Scripture members of such insolence.

Gritting his teeth in anger at the young woman's indifference at the sight of the highest level Angel in existence of the Holy Empire, Nagan issued the order to the Dominion of Authority. "Oh great Archangel. Please slay the girl before you."

 **"Holy Smite...** ", the Archangel chanted in a majestic voice as the Holy Magic activated and the only thing that could be seen is a massive beam of pure white light falling down in divine retribution.

Seeing the target has been hit by the Dominion of Authority's attack, Nagan smiled with glee. However... Valeria appeared to be relative unharmed as she crossed her staff and sword that appears to be absorbing the holy light with a large white Magic circle as she smirked much to their shock and surprise. **"Absorption..."**

The female Alvarez Mage, who had appeared to be standing still until the Archangel hit her with Holy Smite, suddenly moved in a blur way from her previous position and far away from the latter. It has happened too quickly for no one was able to catch her with their eyes.

As she channeled both her Magic power and the absorbed attack of the Archangel into both staff and sword, a series of white Magic seals and runes surrounding Valeria Autumn who then raised both weapons high before slamming them down in the ground.

 **"Fallen Down!"** A huge pillar of blue light from the sky descended upon the Dominion of Authority, causing it to take greater damage as it reels back with greater pain of being hit by its own holy light ironically but remained standing.

Not taking any chances for it to counterattack, Val quickly summoned both violet, purple and golden Magic circles all at once towards the Archangel. **"Obsidian Sword! True Dark! Heavenly Arrow Hailstorm!"**

From the violet Magic seal is a large obsidian sword materialized from Magical power that locks on to a target and hone in like a missile as it struck the Dominion of Authority in the chest, from the purple Magic circle is a large pillar of darkness that directly damaged it from above, and finally from a golden Magic seal is a flurry of sharp-looking arrows made of light that pierced it on all sides.

An explosion then engulfed the Archangel and it was devastating as the Dominion of Authority broke apart into pieces, disintegrating into nothingness without resistance. The triple combo Spell attacks have destroyed the target as the explosion faded away. There was no trace left of that scene as if everything that has transpired seemed to be an illusion.

"H-how is that possible?..."

"With four Spells to destroy the highest leveled Angel in existence..."

"And one to absorb the holy light of the Dominion of Authority..."

"I-it can't be! It can't be!"

"Yiii!"

"I-I-I-IMPUSSSIBRU!"

Among in the mess of sounds from the Severenths expressing disbelief of the Dominion of Authority's defeat at the hands of a single Mage standing before them, Nagan was the loudest as while he had no idea why he was even shouting in the first place, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture only wanted to speak his words from his mind but all he did was shout.

Completely shocked beyond belief after roaring in disbelief, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture yelled at the Wandering Wizard who had just defeated the Dominion of Authority with relative ease. "Such a thing can't happen! Too impossible! No one is able to just use some few top tier spells and destroy a high level Angel that easily! Who are you and where are you from, girl!? What guild are you a part of?! A person like you can't be some Fiorian wizard! What is your real name!?"

"Valeria Autumn. As of now, I am known as the Wandering Wizard because I travel anywhere I go in this kingdom and I have never joined any Guild I came across. Not yet anyways.", the orange-haired young woman answered back before planting her staff into the ground and sheathed her sword back next to her waistline.

She then added more with a mischievously wicked grin upon removing the sleeve of her right arm to reveal the symbol of her country that slowly appeared for a brief moment due to Magical Camouflage concealing it for safety purposes. "By the way, I am not _some Fiorian wizard_. I am a proud wizard from the Alvarez Empire and the apprentice of August the Magic King."

After the orange-haired girl revealed her true origins to be from the Western Continent, the Severenths who were left standing began to panicked in terror that they have just fought a Mage of Alvarez toying around with them this whole time. It is because they have experienced the huge damages and casualties that her country has caused during Alvarez' unsanctioned invasion on _all_ of Ishgar's countries ten years ago despite the strength of their country's military and Guilds on par with their neighbors respectively.

Her another reveal to be an apprentice of the most powerful member of the Spriggan 12 have also added more of their shocking revelation because of elderly Mage's reputation to be the strongest, alongside his fellow equal Irene Belserion, in not just Alvarez, but in the entire world; both noted in the country as a "disaster" and "scourge" respectively that only certain few knew of the full extent of their true power.

So being apprentice to one of the two strongest Shields of Spriggan is somewhat as twice as terrifying since Valeria had been playing around with the Severenths like pawns in a chessboard and made all their efforts to beat her are futile and in vain.

"Y-y-y-you're an Alvarez wizard?!... A-a-apprentice of the Magic King?!... The man who is said to control every single element of Magic there is in existence...", Nagan muttered in sheer terror after realizing he had just fought an Alvarez Mage from the Western Continent's military who are said to be on an entirely different level of strength compared to Ishgar's Mages.

Smirking, Val said with a hint of pride as she hid her dissipating country's mark away back in her right sleeve again and tilted her hat. "That's right. You've already lost this battle since the moment you faced me. You Severenths just played right into my game. But... there are other wizards from Alvarez who are a lot more stronger than me and may be less merciful than I am if they were here in my place instead. Compared to some of the wizards of S-Class caliber in this country, I am on their level or possibly even greater but in Alakitasia, I can never hold a candle with my colleagues in the military especially the Shields of Spriggan and my master who are all way beyond my league."

This further shocked Nagan and the Sunlight Scripture even more because she wasn't even in the level of the far more powerful Alvarez Mages or the Spriggan 12 who could easily overwhelm entire countries if they wanted to as she had mentioned earlier, and yet she easily made short work on them like they were flies to be swatted aside despite their strength as one of the seven strongest units of the Holy Empire.

"However, you will not be remembering that part when this over. I just wanted to explore Ishgar and I don't want someone like you and everyone else here ruin my trip around the continent if I let you guys free with that info around. I hate blackmails.", the young woman said in intention to erase their memories about their learning about her as an Alvarez Mage.

She then added in a repeating mocking and sinister tone with her sadistic face darkened and her hetero-chromatic eyes glowed red and blue after regaining her staff still planted on the ground, "Hmm... If I remember correctly..., ' ** _Stop this futile resistance and fall quietly. As an act of mercy, I will make sure your death is painless._** ' Isn't that right? After all, you may call me the Wicked Witch of the West, that you would remember my name in your nightmares."

 _B-b-b-b-by my d-d-devotion in the f-f-f-faith of the Seven, p-p-p-p-please save this lost little lambs..._ , Nagan internally pleaded for his gods to save his sorry hide as he literally lost control of his bowels and shits himself in fear. He had provoked a fight with an Alvarez Mage after all and everyone under his command are going to pay the grave price.

Raising her staff once more to finish the battle here and now, Valeria summoned forth a red Magic circle as immense amounts of flares are accumulated and gathered together into one large glowing orb. **"Brilliant Detonation!"**

Then the large glowing orb erupted and burst apart, that sent a rain of explosions onto the Severenths as they were engulfed in a series of nuclear-type explosion seen around Fiore as other people noticed it and wondered what the heck is going on around here.

Not a single Severenth had withstood the impact of such Explosion Magic and they have been humiliatingly defeated when the smoke cleared from the effects of Brilliant Detonation spell.

After defeating the Sunlight Scripture of Seven, Valeria twirled her staff around and blew off the smoke at the tip of it before noticing the unconscious yet burned bodies but they are still alive, scratch that, _barely_ still alive after taking the full brunt of her destructive Fire Magic spell when the smoke clears and the entire surrounding battlefield a mess.

"Game over. Fufufufu.", she mischievously said.

* * *

 _Back at Garage Village_

When the battle ended in Valeria's victory, the people of Garage Village were relieved and happy that their town is safe and the lives seriously harmed by these Severenths and the Dark Mages who were a part of their scheme will be brought to be justice by the authorities after the mayor used the Communications Lacrima to call in the Council's Rune Knights who sent a custody unit and a battalion of the Fiore Royal Army stationed in the nearest garrison several miles away from here to apprehend the captured foreigners tied up after their humiliating for attacking them in their soil.

The Guild Master and the rest of the members of Hound Holy have been treated of their wounds from the battle against the Sunlight Scripture as they're covered in bandages, arm casts, leg casts, etc. along with Val who had bandages around her shoulders and torso despite the healing spell she had used previously.

After the offensive party with their memories of Val being an Alvarez Mage permanently erased for her own safety has been taken away for trial and imprisonment along with the recording Lacrima containing evidence Val had relinquished to provide more proof of Nagan's wrong-doings and his country's schemes during the confrontation between Shiba and the Severenth himself, Hound Holy and the Garage villagers proceeded on with the festivities and started it with the Magical fireworks courtesy of the Wandering Wizard herself.

When Haru Glorygale, Musica Silverspear, Let and Julia Dahakas, and Julius Frost arrived in Garage, they expressed great worry and concern for their guildmates due to the news of the Severenths' attack on their town and the guild which had forced them to willingly abandon the Jobs they were in the middle of it and ran back as fast as they could to aid them.

But since the Sunlight Scripture has been defeated with the assistance of Valeria Autumn, the Hound Holy Mages showed gratitude and gave their thanks to the Independent Mage instead.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay Val? You're a pretty good strategist and a fighter. We could use someone like you in Hound Holy.", Reisha said as she enjoyed the fireworks despite being told to be put to bed due to her injuries she sustained with bandages around her arms and the head.

"Thanks for the offer but no thanks. Sorry... Besides you guys are really cool in a battle against those guys from Seven back there. You may not be one of the top Guilds in Fiore but you sure know how to kick some ass hard. I'm just here to make sure the favors of victory is in Hound Holy's hands. It's your win.", the orange-haired young woman humbly said which the guild took it as compliments.

"Shame. You would make a wonderful Hound Holy Mage like us.", Bernicka who is also covered in bandages too said with a small smile.

Haru said in agreement, "Yeah! She's a nice person too! You really should join us! Master Shiba spoke highly of you."

"Hahaha! Glad you made the offer Haru but no thanks really. I am not just yet ready to join the guild but I would love to visit you guys again when we cross paths once more.", Val politely refused which made the silver-haired young man feel sad but glad in return.

"Hey, baby. Wanna go out with me? I-aahhh! Not the ear! Not the ear!", Musica asked in a flirting manner but was suddenly yanked in the ear by Reina, his girlfriend, who appeared to be upset at his womanizing acts despite their relationship.

She yelled at him while ignoring the injuries covered by bandages around her arms and torso, "Musica, if you want to keep your precious between your legs intact, we have a lot of talking privately when this is over!"

The other Hound Holy members and the townsfolk started laughing at the Silver-Make Mage's misfortune as they watch him under verbal fire by his own girlfriend and it was pretty funny sight to watch.

"She sounds pretty strong to take down the Sunlight Scripture by herself if you tell me true Bernicka. I wanna fight her!", Julia commented with Let agreeing. "Indeed, it is considered quite a feat of taking down one of the Seven Scriptures all by herself."

 _Reminds me of Natsu when it comes to challenging anyone for a fight but oh well, it felt nostalgic for some reason..._ , Val deadpanned noticed as she then giggled in response. "Actually, I only took down the remainder of the Sunlight Scripture after Hound Holy managed to take down as many of them as they can through my strategy. I am just a combat tactician after all."

"And that was a marvelous strategy to allow our guild to obtain victory even without our presence. You took them down with grace and poise that of a noblewoman that I could admire from you.", Julius commented in a gentleman manner that the orange-haired young woman sees him better than Ichiya and the Trimens.

The middle-aged mayor of Garage Village attempted to pay two large bag of Jewels to the female Alvarez Mage for her help in saving the town from the Severenths' attack but Val raised her hand as she stated, "Keep it. I only asked the payment for my part in the fireworks. But when it comes to fighting, that I would refuse. You might need it more than I do."

Shiba, who is covered in bandages around his torso and arms, chimed in. "She's only here for making the fireworks for the festivities, Mr. Mayor. Helping save the town without any asking of money is what a good wizard is all about. I think you should give her the money for her part with the Garage Village Festival."

Thanking the Sword Saint and also collected the income from her part in providing the fireworks from the mayor that is worth thousands of Jewels, Valeria headed where the Rave Warriors are as they seemed to be admiring more of her fireworks exploding in beautiful and marvelous colors in the clear starry skies.

"So what are you going to do now, Val?", Reisha asked when she noticed the orange-haired girl in a classic wizard attire.

The Wandering Wizard said, "Maybe I should continue traveling around Fiore for a little while longer. Originally I was planning to cross the borders of Seven to explore the continent but due to the encounter with the Sunlight Scripture, I guess I will put that plan on hold for now until the whole situation calms down."

That is something they have agreed on that of Valeria's opinion since the Sunlight Scripture had attacked Garage Village and Hound Holy within the borders of Fiore but were defeated in battle and taken into custody as they're trespassers and had no right to invoke diplomatic immunity, there's bound to be a clash of political powers between the Magic Council, the Kingdom of Fiore and the Holy Empire of Seven, and things may not be pretty when it comes to playing the game of thrones.

But that was the least of their worries for now.

"Hey girls! Check this dance moves Musica and I made up! We have a lot of practicing right until the festival!", Haru exclaimed with Musica agreeing. "Yeah! You're gonna love this!"

Seeing Haru and Musica started to do the really weird dancing moves that others perceive it as horribly lame and terrible, the girls began to uncontrollably laugh at them in their expense as the fireworks continued to lit the skies above Garage Village with beautiful explosions followed by the guild symbol of Hound Holy that explodes the brightest of them all.

"Beautiful fireworks..." Julius Frost commented with a tone of admiration and passion.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Phew! The third chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is done and the next update will be coming by soon. Rest assured, Valeria Autumn will soon get involved in stopping Eisenwald's plot and run into Fairy Tail once again. I've planned in exploring the countries of Ishgar that Hiro Mashima had intentionally avoided as he stated to be focusing the story entirely on Fiore.**

 **In this setting of the story, I made Valeria into a strategist similar to a MMORPG role because I think having an OC being a powerhouse which is overused since Fairy Tail already has a lot of them in variety of ways including all other known Guilds in the canon. It wouldn't hurt to have her being the brains of the team in a battle. Looks like Mavis will have a successor of the "Fairy Tactician" title if Val gets to join the guild someday soon enough... :D**

 **There are also some Rave Master references and expies there too as well and Hound Holy seemed to be a reference by Mashima in Fairy Tail mention only, so disclaimers to it too. Also some A Song of Ice and Fire, and Overlord references and OC expys too. I also made a homage of the awesomeness of Ainz Ooal Gown's curbstomp battle with the Sunlight Scripture in Overlord Episode 4. Epic. :D Can't stop rewatching it.**

 **And also, I have some plans of adding OCs from the Alvarez Empire too, either as friend or foe depending on how the story goes. Two of them happens to be a Machias that I already made one in my mind and the other is a former member of the Ajeel Squad which Trevor607 had made an OC submission. So SYOC is open in this story, feel free to do so if you want and we may discuss about it. I'm all ears.**

 **Credits goes to Angel Arcano92 for the section of the interaction between Val and Blue Pegasus in this chapter. :D**

 **Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yo, what's up guys? I'm back and the fourth chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is here. Thank you for your early reviews and support for this story of an OC from the Alvarez Empire who didn't join Fairy Tail right away without having an adventure of her own as nitpicked by Guest. XD That typical cliche of a main OC joining immediately in FT fanfics is getting old.**

 **To Thaqif: Your reviews and suggestions for this story are awesome and interesting but I cannot make promises to write them all in the future chapters. However, I can try to fit them in as much as possible. Since you made quite a number, I will have to answer them categorically.**

 **P.S.: There's a _reason_ why "Private Messaging" is for in this site, Thaqif and it's kinda getting annoying you know. Are you trying to start a conversation through the Review Section? Trevor607 already noticed it too and called you out for it.**

 **Review 1:** **Bloodbourne,** **Dark Souls,** **Destiny,** **Mass Effect,** **Armored Core,** **Warframe,** **Call of Duty,** **Dead Space for a Fairy Tail crossover of any of them huh? It looks interesting prospective of a crossover but I am not sure how to fit them into the Fairy Tail universe or either of theirs too. As for making them, I may need time to think about it first.**

 **Reviews 2 and 3: Your idea of an Alvarez OC sounds cool for a ninja. Maybe I will have him as a frenemy of sorts when Valeria meets him during her journey outside Fiore's land borders. I am well aware about Dobengal of Sabertooth in the FT manga and of course, Mages in FT universe are all expert melee combatants not Squishy Wizards, well some of them are... Sorry, after reading too much Naruto Godlike Sue fanfics, it made me feel obnoxious whenever I try to make a Naruto crossover or fic. Even I didn't update by Legend of Korra x Naruto fanfic titled "Red Lotus and the Shinobi". Perhaps adding a ninja wouldn't hurt... Probably.**

 **Review 4: No, I don't. I already know what you are talking about already.**

 **Review 5: Yes, I did watch RWBY series and it was awesome I'd say. Don't worry I will make some Shout Outs and Expys from** **Fate/Stay Night, Overlord (2012), Akame Ga Kill and Seven Deadly Sins. As for your OC suggested, it's fine so long as he's not that too OP like mine. XD**

 **Review 6: Really? I was surprised when you mentioned that before checking it out myself and realized what you meant 'similar dialouge'. And no, I won't be adopting "A Spartan's Tail" because it's not my thing to do it and it belongs to the original author by right.**

 **Review 7: Okay, I will check out Darkest Dungeons for characters, plots, scenarios and ideas in this story.**

 **Review 8: Yeah, sure. Fairy Tail universe does have a fair share of modern technology in a medieval-esque setting of Earth Land after all. Lacrimas, the battery containing Magical power to fuel everyday appliances, weapons, vehicles, etc. for example. Destiny and Warframe sounds cool but I might also add some League of Legends references too as well.**

 **Reviews 9 and 10: Well, hint for future chapters that I am going to explore and flesh out Ishgar's other countries that were being left out intentionally by Hiro Mashima in his focus of the story on Fiore mostly. Might add some League of Legends, Game of Thrones, and Dark Souls elements on them too just to make them diverse from the Kingdom of Fiore.**

 **Yeah, Val had a bad luck meeting Ichiya and the Trimens during her brief stay at Pegasus Village just when Jenny Realight invited her to join Blue Pegasus which she ran away and vowed to never visit the town ever again. Poor Valeria... Anyways, of course I will put some flashbacks on how she visits other Guilds that either left her in a good/bad impression and terms with them before continuing traveling on the road in future chapters.**

 **Review 11: Your suggestions are fine and I'm glad you enjoyed the story of mine. Uh, no. There was no fanart of Valeria yet as she was my OC I created from my mind when making this story but I can ask my sister to make a DeviantArt pic of Valeria Autumn if you want. Although it's already made but incomplete with yet to be fully colored soon enough.**

 **Reviews 12 & 13: Yeah, yeah, I will try add some of the references and elements of these franchises you mentioned. Don't you worry, I am not putting them all at once. Perhaps in other Ishgar countries for Val to travel around the continent away from Fiore to divert from canon.**

 **Review 14: Yup, pretty much because the Holy Empire of Seven is in deep trouble for its illegal activities now exposed to the eyes of the Magic Council. It would mean serious ramifications and consequences of their actions that basically threaten the peace and order of the Magic World but it will be further explained in the next chapter or so. As Val's fanart, I will ask my sister who's a good artist but yeah she is beautiful, not too much in way where most FT girls in canon are depicted with big boobs. I mean seriously, how can they move around and stand properly with that much weight in their chest?**

 **Review 15: Hmm... I suppose I could have Valeria encounter Wendy and Carla at Cait Shelter and bring them along in her journey. She needed some company for a while and those two needed _real_ people to interact with. Maybe the female Alvarez Mage would also figure out the true nature behind that guild led by a Nirvit spirit watching over the sealed Nirvana in their interaction.**

 **Review 16: I have no idea to what you're talking about if you think Valeria is an expy of Ainz Ooal Gown or Momon in jet-black armor since they're nothing alike and she is a Gandalf-esque character. Is it because of the references of Overlord in this story? Lol... Maybe... ;) Now you just gave me an idea about it too. As for your OC, I might have an idea where to put him into the story and can't tell you yet.**

 **Review 17: Perhaps, since Erza took interest in Val after hearing rumors of the Wandering Wizard and wanted her to join Fairy Tail regardless of the latter's refusal since the former is Titania, who literally takes no for an answer, so there's bound to be a fight between them once they encounter each other at some point.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters. They respectively belong to Hiro Mashima, the author of the manga series. Same goes for A-1 Animation Studios and FUNimation for the old anime adaptation that I sorely missed and still need of accepting the current incarnation from 2014-2016 now.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D**

* * *

Chapter 4

 _Somewhere in the Worth Woodsea, Kingdom of Fiore_

Another several weeks of September in Earth Land time has passed since Valeria Autumn, still wrapped in bandages of her injuries around her torso that she's fairly recovering, had left Garage Village and Hound Holy in good terms after helping them fend off the attack of the Sunlight Scripture from the Holy Empire of Seven and subsequently defeated the same group with relative ease.

Although the victory has been credited to Shiba Flowers' Guild and the infamous Wandering Wizard only just finished the job for them which somewhat furthered her reputation even more surprisingly but unexpectedly.

Due to Nagan and his fellow Severenths' covert assault on a Fiorian Legal Guild within the borders between the kingdom and the Holy Empire along with the exposure of their illegal activities that had eluded from the eyes of the authorities for so long after weeks of interrogations, the Magic Council was forced to take action in response of the international incident sparked between both countries and placed heavy sanctions on Seven's government after confronting them via its branch headquarters at the capital of Rosalba.

Not only that, the nobles behind the attempted assassination on Shiba Flowers by the Sunlight Scripture were also busted too due to the results of Nagan and his men's interrogation and the Magic Council had them under a lot of warrants of arrest for further questioning by the Rune Knights in its branch at Pergrande.

Let's just say, the Holy Empire is in a whole deep trouble including the Pergrandian co-conspirators for plotting to murder the legendary Sword Saint who only lived in peaceful retirement with a Legal Guild he runs at Fiore for petty and stupid reasons that had sparked a large political crisis between two countries for the first time since the Cabria War.

As the most powerful governing body of the Magical World, its vast jurisdiction extends up to almost every single country of Ishgar from Fiore to the Pergrande Kingdom that has numerous Guilds that numbers to over more than 500 all around the continent except in Alakitasia with 730 Guilds which was controlled by the Alvarez Empire of course.

So the Council had the power to deal with the intense political situation between Fiore and Seven.

News of Severenths' attack on one of its Guilds within Fiore's borders was spread throughout the kingdom and were met with various mixed reactions about it among the population of Mages and non-Mages everywhere with some fearing that a war between two neighboring countries might break out sooner than later. Tensions between Fiorians and Severenths were putting both countries on an edge with each other.

Sure, they had their differences in religious ideologies of their own but they had good trade and economic alliance that tied them all together as a sign of their strong ties and relations between all nations of Ishgar despite not fully united together as one like Alvarez.

Thankfully, the long weeks of talks and negotiations between the King of Fiore, the Seven Regents and the Council are in session to deal with this kind of political situation but it is somewhat highly unlikely due to tensions began rising up between the powers in the Eastern Continent heatedly albeit slowly and may have yet to cool down sooner or later.

But hey, politics is a really complex and complicated battle after all.

Not only that, the fame of the Wandering Wizard grew much bigger after another set of news reported of her intervention at Garage Village where, in an overly-exaggerated review from a certain overly-enthusiastic blond-haired reporter from Sorcerer Weekly, she completely wiped out the Sunlight Scripture all by herself in a blink of an eye much to Valeria's chagrin.

She even earned the second epithet, the "Wicked Witch of the West", thanks to Nagan and the surviving members of the Sunlight Scripture who ranted like crazy and visibly frightened about her overwhelming strength of the former Magic King's apprentice and a terrifying visage of her dark face with glowing red/blue eyes embedded in their memories, that she altered to protect her secret, from their nightmares in the Magic Sealing Stone cells of the Magic Council.

On the other hand, the Fiorians have believed that new title Val gained must be referring to their country which happens to be _west_ next to Bosco and the Land of Isvan, not the Alvarez Empire that she finds it relieving.

If that's what they believe in their sense of logic, then so be it.

Besides, the new nickname is not so bad after all and it fits her 'wicked' side well too but the article about her is too overly-exaggerated admittedly.

"Whoever wrote this about me must have gone way over the top! And how the hell did Sorcerer Weekly manage to get that scary look of my face in the frontal page!", she exclaimed after reading the today's newspaper that featured herself standing victorious over the burned-to-a-crisp Severenth Mages lying on the ground with a darkened face filled with a heterochromatic pair of red and blue eyes glowing that gives out a menacing look not to be truly trifled with.

In the meantime, Valeria often expected for Lucy to call her via Magic communication earring to talk about the recent news of the former's rising reputation but knowing the female Celestial Spirit Mage of Fairy Tail, her Ishgarian friend is busy working really hard for her rent at the apartment to pay that costs over 70,000 Jewel a month at Magnolia.

The orange-haired girl was sometimes amused that Lucy's attempts to earn money from Jobs she took had ended up in a fluke due to Natsu, who followed her along with Happy, destroying everything with his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic and the rewards were funneled to the pay for the extensive damages instead of her rent when the blonde girl told her about it in one of her depressing moments.

"Poor Lucy...", Val mused in pity while imagining her friend crying cute from all the wasted efforts of getting the money badly needed for her rent and wished she might have been there to help her like an older sister, had herself joined Fairy Tail earlier.

Oh, well. What's done is done. She made her decision and will not turn back from it in her path. After all, why would anyone join the guild, particularly Fairy Tail for some reason, right away without even knowing more outside of the world instead of being stuck in Fiore all the time?

For good reason though, Valeria didn't want to join them because she's from Alvarez who came after Lumen Histoire ten years ago and there might be plenty of repercussions if that happened.

If Valeria Autumn had _actually_ joined the Guild as a member instead of heading off on the road as an Independent Mage, she will get founded out by the Magic Council a little quickly and will be quicker due to Fairy Tail's infamous reputation with the Magic World's ruling organization. She would be branded as a spy/infiltrator from the Western Continent in the Council's irrational fear and paranoia, and they would either sentenced her to life imprisonment simply for being an Alvarez Mage (in turn cause an international incident and invite war from her country) or probably deported her back to her homeland, never returning to Ishgar ever again.

Even Fairy Tail could not go against the word of the Council in their protests and defense and they may have no choice but to bid her goodbye and farewell, should she be deported back to Alakitasia. But... if she were to be imprisoned simply for being a citizen from a military continental empire, they would definitely fight tooth and nail to protect Val as one of their comrades, since they seemed to be the more understanding and forgiving type if one could give them a _very_ good reason to sympathize for, and are more than willing to make an enemy out of the Magic Council if that's what it takes.

That is something the former Magic King's apprentice didn't want that kind of scenario to happen so she didn't join Fairy Tail and became a freelancer instead.

Besides, the world is neither in the books and maps where you can find in the library or the archives every day, nor in the Kingdom of Fiore, that it was the sole focus of a journey and adventure in just _one_ country, alone.

It's out there!

From every known corner of Earth Land to the new uncharted continents that stretches far beyond the geographical borders of Ishgar and Alakitasia. Life's full of possibilities and wonder that shouldn't be wasted from staying in one place all the time.

Life is short, and one must enjoy all of life's pleasures while one can in their own way.

According to the infamous quote of a famed Ishgarian warrior Oberyn Telmarl well known for his deadly fighting skills of the spear and dreaded use of Poison Magic, passionate temper, and sexual appetites from Desierto she had heard of, "It is a big and beautiful world. Most of us live and die in the same corner where we were born and never get to see any of it. I don't want to be _most of us_."

That is exactly what Valeria Autumn is doing now and she will not be bogged down in her journey by refusing the offers of joining a Guild anytime soon. She would rather live life on her own terms rather than live by someone else's rules here. Soon after journeying around Fiore, then it's off to explore the neighboring countries in the Eastern Continent.

 _Oh well, there goes my trip to Seven... I often wanted to see the wondrous capital of Rosalba and the surrounding countryside there. *sighs* Until the political situation between the Holy Empire, Fiore and the Council calms down and returned to normalcy hopefully, maybe I should give it a chance to go there when the time is right... Hmm... Perhaps after several more weeks here, maybe I should try head there to Bosco and see some 'decent' sights before heading off to Iceberg. Best be careful though. There's a slave trade going on in that country. Lucy almost got herself branded to slavery by that disgusting blueberry freak Bora I roasted alive for his trouble..._ , the female Alvarez Mage thought as she continued driving her cart on the road on towards the large forest in the northern part of Fiore.

The Worth Woodsea, a large forest that is located in a northern part of the Fiore Kingdom where Nirvana, a mighty Magic from ancient times and also known as the Magic of Reversal which has an ability to turn light to darkness and vice versa, was located and sealed there according to the legends due to the records and archives she read about during her studies as August's apprentice in Vistarion at that time.

From what she learned, the forbidden Ancient Spell was created by the Nirvit, an ancient tribe of powerful Mages who remained neutral during times of war 400 years ago in Ishgar as an attempt to try and keep the world in peace and to force people into stopping the wars that ravaged the Earth Land at that time. After succeeding so, Nirvana became a symbol of peace and the Nirvit made it their home.

However, for all the darkness that it had turned into light, Nirvana took more and more darkness upon itself. It turned its residents, the Nirvit, from light to darkness and made them fight and kill among themselves until it was impossible to survive when the whole country entirely collapsed by the very same Magic they hoped to bring the world in the light from dark.

No one from both Ishgar and Alakitasia truly knows who sealed away Nirvana soon after the tragic fratricidal demise of the Nirvit but her former master August had wisely speculated to Val in his theory shared with Lady Irene, who was well-versed in Ishgar's folk legends and myths as a historian, is that the last surviving member is the one behind it before he was never heard of ever again, safely assuming that he died, and faded away in history of Earth Land.

The Alvarez Empire had never sought out that Magic since her country has absolutely no distinction between light and darkness, only grey in Alakitasia and their main target of interest is Lumen Histoire after all. And also it is a very dangerous Magical Item that should never used lightly and besides, the massive military of the Western Continent already possessed formidable Magical weapons of war that could cause incredible amounts of damage and destruction more than Nirvana combined.

From the hilltop of the cliff while driving her cart on the road, Val briefly glanced at the darkness growing slowly in the forest despite the peaceful atmosphere of the Worth Woodsea forest and suspected that it's the Magic of Reversal itself there.

"Hmm... It would seem Ishgar's Nirvana turned out to be very real after all and I can sense such malevolent Magical energy emanating somewhere in the far center of Worth Woodsea... The seal that locked it away must be breaking albeit in a slow pace. It won't be long before some Fiorian Dark Guild might come to find it and use it in their so-typical evil plot I've heard several times from my many bounties collected on them in my freelancer activities...", the Wandering Wizard said to herself before resuming her thinking about her opinions on Dark Guilds in the Eastern Continent, mostly negatively.

She even mentally added with sarcasm included, _If I had a Jewel for every time a Dark Guild goes on the same old routine from plotting to plunge the world into darkness and chaos cliche as usual, gloating of their strength that seemed to be very lacking or sometimes befitting to back up their boasts, injure or kill their own comrades which I don't give a shit since it's their loss for depleting their own numbers and made my Job a lot more easier, and acquiring dangerous Magics and Magical artifacts for their oh-so-evil uses that seemed to have popped out of nowhere over and over again, I will be the richest woman in Ishgar... Oh yeah..._

Somewhere in Fiore within a huge fortress or castle that was their main headquarters, six members of a certain powerful Dark Guild felt some strange shivers down their spine that some shrugged it off and claimed to be the cold, and a few sneezes notably the loudest from a tall polygon-shaped man who had obsession with money, for some reason.

Moving away from the supposed site where she noticed the ancient Magic's sealed location theoretically, Valeria Autumn drove her cart farther away and headed to where the road might take her through the large forest complex... which apparently leads her to Cait Shelter, one of Fiore's Legal Guilds that was based on the Worth Woodsea nearby.

Arriving there after leaving the large forest complex behind her, the female Alvarez Mage noticed a distinctive appearance of the Guild itself as she rode her transportation a little closer to the entrance up front and personal.

The Cait Shelter building itself stood in a small plain, with rocky formations visible behind it. The formations housed tall, wooden watchguards and several massive poles; a large, round tiled space in front of the structure had more buildings overlooking it, with the local community.

The building itself was a large pavilion, which, living up to the guild's name, took the form of a cat's head. Its central section sported two large rhomboidal windows, which resembled feline eyes, each possessing two sticks placed in a cross shape crossing it; topping the cloth door standing in the central lower part of the pavilion were two curved corners, each bearing a pair of capsized triangular flags hanging from it, with their inner edges ending in a dark circle; something which made the whole entrance look like a cat's muzzle with an open mouth and bared teeth.

The rounded top part of the structure, separated from the rest by a row of large feathers hanging vertically, came with a pair of massive, triangular protrusions, which served as the cat's ears, with the guild's name being placed below them, in the middle. Flanking this main section were two smaller ones, elongating from its sides, which possessed dark parts topping their roofs.

Sitting behind the right wing from the main pavilion's door were three high poles, each bearing a banner secured to its central upper part by ropes: the banner in the middle was adorned by Cait Shelter's symbol, the one to its right by the emblem of the Fiore Kingdom, and the one to the left by the insignia of the Magic Council.

Sitting before the pavilion, at both sides of the main structure, was a pair of large, ornamental objects similar to short columns, which in the upper part bore a dark symbol reminiscent of a wind rose; these very upper parts had their edges curving outwards, generating three protruding semicircles which made them look like paws, thus granting the feline structure its forelegs.

Exiting her cart and securing it firsthand, Val entered the grounds of Cait Shelter and finds it strange towards that Guild for some reason as several male and female members wearing garments reminiscent of those used by ancient Native Americans and sporting body paint looked at her in curiosity and confusion after they noticed her which some whispered among themselves.

"Who's she, Magna?"

"She looks so classic, Pepel."

"Is that the Wandering Wizard, Usk?"

"Yeah, the one who took down those wizards of the Sunlight Scripture from Seven all by herself, Naoki."

"No way man!"

"What's she doing here in Cait Shelter? Is she going to join our Guild?"

"You idiot. This is the same woman who refused to join every Guild she came across from Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus. Phantom Lord, notwithstanding. I heard she didn't even join Fairy Tail, the strongest Guild of the kingdom here."

Ignoring the comments towards her, the orange-haired young woman noticed something similar of the people she just met whilst wondering in her thoughts. _So this Cait Shelter, another one of those Fiorian Guilds here. Just like Hound Holy, it's a minor Guild but almost unheard of yet recognized as a Legal one according to Master Shiba when he told me about the Local Guild Master League. Hmm... The members of this Guild look similarly dressed like the extinct Nirvits. Descendants maybe, or people dressed in homage of them... Or-_

"Um... hello? C-can I help you miss?...", a voice of a shy little girl called out that got Val's attention and interrupted her thoughts.

Looking down briefly, Valeria Autumn met a petite girl with fair skin and has long, dark blue hair that reaches down to her waist, with two bangs framing her face which reach down to her chest alongside her brown eyes. She wears a simple dress with two wavy stripes running across the dress and ending in small pointed edges at the bottom. Around her arms and legs she wears wing like attachments. The Cait Shelter Guild stamp was located on her right shoulder too as well.

"Y-yes, little one. I was hoping to find civilization after traversing around the Worth Woodsea forest there.", Val said politely to the member of a minor Ishgarian guild who greeted her.

The blue-haired girl meekly replied, "Y-you're in Cait Shelter... A-are you the Wandering Wizard, uh, m-miss?"

Removing her pointy hat, the young woman made an introductory bow before the young Cait Shelter Mage. "Yes, of course little one. I'm Valeria Autumn, freelancer wizard at your service. Extraordinaire of Magical fireworks in every way. But you can call me Val for short. And you are?..."

"I-I-I'm Wendy Marvell, a-a member of Cait Shelter... I-i-it's nice to meet you in person...", she replied with a shy yet polite bow to the female Alvarez Mage who simply gave a nod with a tug of her pointed hat after putting it back on.

"Wendy! You will never gain respect if you act so shy and never built up your confidence young lady! And please don't talk to strangers you don't know who just to come visit to the Guild so openly!...", a voice of a haughty woman called out to Val and Wendy who turned to the source behind such words.

A small, white cat with pink ears and brown eyes, which are smaller than Happy's eyes. She also has two whiskers on each side of her face and wears a pink bow near the end of her tail. Her usual top consists of a mustard yellow and pink top with a pink bow tie.

 _Whoa!... She looked just like Happy!_ , Val exclaimed in thought as she compared the two talking cats in similar appearance and wondered if this one can fly too as well.

"I-I'm sorry Carla. I-I was being polite and welcoming to the Wandering Wizard here in Cait Shelter.", the young girl said meekly to her feline friend.

The female talking cat interjected, "I know that child but you should be more careful. Did you even know that woman is also the 'Wicked Witch of the West' too as well? I even heard this one never joined Guilds and a freelancer. She could be dangerous."

"Wow, am I really that scary?... For a cute talking cat, you sure had a sharp tongue...", the Wandering Wizard noted in deadpanned snarky tone that her reputation must have given the wrong impression from some people.

"Huh?! I am Exceed, young woman! I find your opinion highly offensive! And my name is Carla for your information!", the feline named Carla fumed at Valeria Autumn who simply find it more amusing than offended at the talking feline's retort.

A voice of an elderly man called out, "Oh? What is going on out there? Nabura..."

Members of Cait Shelter, Wendy, and Carla turned around to see their Guild Master who came out of the main guildhall when they heard him while Valeria took a look on that person in charge of one of Fiore's Guilds.

A small, slim elderly man with a long white beard, complete with a mustache, which extended up on his face's sides, making for a large pair of sideburns and his two bushy eyebrows as well. On his forehead was a tattoo, composed of a dot surrounded by two arched stripes. He also wore a Native American-esque attire with a large headgear composed of feathers, with more, lighter-colored feathers adorning the back of his waist and had a light cloth tied circling his waist, paired with loose dark pants reaching below his knees and simple shoes, and his chest was bare, with a necklace seemingly made of massive teeth around his neck, hanging over it.

"Master Roubaul... W-we were greeting our guest at the Guild although Carla was a bit rude to her.", the blue-haired girl explained.

 _So that's the Guild Master of Cait Shelter?... Hmm... From what I sensed from him, he possessed a vast amount of Magical power befitting of a Wizard Saint in Ishgar. But... something is off about him for some reason... I just couldn't find out what it is..._ , the Wandering Wizard mentally noted upon glancing on the minuscule old man standing before her.

"Hmm?... Nabura... Isn't that the Wicked Wizard of the Wandering West?", the elderly man asked much to Val's chagrin as she felt like being insulted indirectly but noted it must be Alzheimer's disorder he had of sorts.

Wendy corrected, "U-um actually Master. It's the Wandering Wizard _and_ the Wicked Witch of the West, both of her titles. Her name is Valeria Autumn."

"Ahhh... I see, Nabura... The traveling freelancer wizard with a penchant of making fireworks. What bring you here in this humble Guild Cait Shelter, Miss Valeria?", Roubaul questioned.

"I am only here to rest and resupply at your guild until I am ready to see fit to leave, Master Roubaul. I am tired from my long travel on the road and needed a place to stay for the night. Can I have a place under your roof, please?...", the orange-haired woman politely asked.

Rubbing his beard for a moment as he was thinking for a while, he answered in turn. "Nabura... Very well then, the hospitality of Cait Shelter is yours, miss Valeria. Naoki, please show your guest to a room to stay and rest. Usk, take her cart and the horse to a nearby stable."

Bowing down in thanks, Val followed a female Cait Shelter member to one of the Guild's buildings for a place to stay along for a stable for her horse and cart, Wendy sniffed something wrong and narrowed her eyes, only to see bleeding stain on the young woman's body such as the shoulder and the back. "KYAAAAH!", she screamed that got almost everyone's attention immediately.

"What happened?! Is something wrong, Wendy?!", Carla questioned in worry if she saw something horrifying.

"S-she's bleeding! Miss Val's wounds are open!", the girl answered, pointing it to Val's wounds from the previous battle with the Sunlight Scripture.

 _Oh yeah, I forgot to regularly treat my injuries from that skirmish with the Sunlight Scripture at Garage Village at this moment... Damn that Open Wounds spell! Even with constant Light Healing I casted on myself, the effects of that Curse Magic coupled with all the Magical attacks from those Severenth wizards in that fight really hurt... I wonder if Nagan and his Sunlight Scripture had the last laugh on me while in prison... Hmm... probably not but still..._ , Valeria realized as she mentally face-palmed at her forgetfulness and underestimating her opponents in Ishgar.

"Don't worry about that. It's only a flesh wound.", she tried to reassure Cait Shelter girl that she's alright.

For a moment when it comes to her certain expertise of treating wounds as a healer, Wendy lost her shy meek self and sharply retorted back at the Wandering Wizard. " 'Only a flesh wound'?! Miss Val, you've suffered bleeding injuries and you call it that?! You needed to get healed!"

Carla said in agreement along with several others nodding too, "She's right. You're in serious need of medical attention Miss Valeria. I'm actually surprised that you didn't even notice until Wendy pointed it out to you."

Startled by the girl's bold declaration out of her shy self for a moment, the classic Mage can only sigh in defeat. "Fine, fine... You win... Well then, I will have to apply some fresh bandages and first aid once we get inside."

"No, as a healer I will treat your injuries this instant because it's my job!", the young Cait Shelter Mage declared as she approached Valeria.

"She's the healer?", the female Alvarez Mage doubted in a bit of skepticism which Carla told her to let Wendy to do her work and stand still.

Raising her hands at the woman older than her, Wendy summoned a blue Magic circle that glowed with soothing energy that healed Val's reopened wounds almost immediately like nothing truly happened at all.

"What?...", she said in surprise upon checking the state of her body being fully healed and the Open Wounds spell was nullified.

Wiping the sweat off her forehead, the young Cait Shelter Mage stated. "There! All done. Your wounds have been healed and you're good as new Miss Val! Although I sense some malevolent Curse Magic spell on you that, I believe, was behind the reopening of your injuries so I had to dispel it in the healing process."

"This is... T-thanks Wendy... I owe you one.", Valeria Autumn muttered in thanks which the girl appreciated it.

Now that is over for a moment there, Master Roubaul had quickly ordered his guild members to clean up the stains of blood dripping from Val's formerly injured body on the ground while the Wandering Wizard headed inside the Cait Shelter buildin.

* * *

 _Inside Cait Shelter building_

Inside, the pavilion was shown to have a wooden floor, and its fabric walls were sustained by a wooden frame, consisting of several large beams. The furniture was exotic, with carpets and clothes bearing ornamental patterns. Objects representing cats were also shown to be present, just like some vegetable elements, such as vines adorning the supporting beams.

After Wendy had fully healed her wounds from the battle with the Sunlight Scripture and politely refused fresh clothes tailored by Cait Shelter provided her for before changing to her own new set of clothing, Val took a small look on the mirror of her stereotypical Mage's robes and decided to try something on new for a while through the use of this Magic that is related to the summoning of various types of equipment from a pocket dimension.

 **"Requip..."** A light blue Magic circle appeared above the young woman's head followed by a blinding yellow glow when the circle passed down her body where she was encased within an impressive sturdy and tough-looking three-part suit of black armor made to look like a devil and covered with spikes and not showing the tiniest amount of skin, and wields a unique helm and carries a battle-axe and a heavy shield with her.

Despite its apparent bulk frame of the armor, it looked feminine enough to suit her fitting form.

Glancing at herself in full-plate armor with the mirror, Valeria compliments to herself. "Hmm... Not bad. Not bad at all... Perhaps I should call myself 'Albedo the Unholy Knight'. I feel like having an alter-ego roleplay or something and it's fun! Fufufufu!"

"Uh, Miss Val. The food is ready for dinner and we're about to-WAAAAHHH!", the young girl said upon entering the room but was alarmed and scared upon seeing the female Alvarez Mage in black armor.

"Wendy! What's going on? Are you alright?!", Carla dashed in concern for her scared friend only to see the black armored person and knew who it was. "My word! Miss Valeria! How dare you traumatize poor Wendy with that armor! That's rude!"

"Oh I'm sorry about that! Hehehe. My bad... I was just checking out this armor for a while.", the female Alvarez Mage immediately apologized as she took off the helmet, reassuring the poor blue-haired girl and the fuming Exceed.

"U-u-uh... It's a-alright Miss Val. The a-armor of yours look really scary. What is it?", the Cait Shelter Mage meekly said.

Explaining about the armor that is made of great quality Adamantite metal from the Western Continent in part of the Alvarez military, Val explained about it. "This is **Hermes Trismegistus** , a full plate suit with three layers of enchanted armor specialize against physical and Magical damage. The innermost layer is an armor in liquid form, which fits the body perfectly, and enhances physical abilities. Next layer would be a full-body armor layer, like an undershirt. And finally, the outermost layer covers the inner layers and boosts defenses. Along with a battle axe and a heavy shield as part of its main arsenal."

"So you're like Titania of Fairy Tail then? Hmm... That is quite a little bit of a bulky armor you wear if you ask me, Miss Valeria. Shouldn't that be a hindrance to your movement in a fight?", Carla said in wonder and skepticism.

"Fufufufufu... Oh please, I may not be much of a highly experienced melee fighter in close range but I do have average combat skills to compensate if needed be for self-defense just in case. After all, I'm a distance ranged specialist... And as for this armor, it's actually more maneuverable while providing me extra protection than what it appears to be.", the former Magic King's apprentice interjected about her combat skills and armor before asking. "...And what do you mean I'm like Titania you speak of, Miss Carla? Call me curious..."

The female Exceed explained, "Well, I've heard tales about that woman who is noted for her ability to Requip into weapons and armor similar to how you do it but much faster and her immense strength was well-known throughout Fiore with her epithet, 'Titania' or commonly known as the 'Armored Wizard' because she wears armor for casual clothing. Her real name is Erza Scarlet, the S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail by the way."

 _So that's Erza? The Titania of Fairy Tail... Now that explains her appearance of a wizard in armor and carrying a huge horn I saw on the road before heading to Garage Village... Judging from her reputation precedes her, this Erza must be a very formidable fighter... At least here in Ishgar... Lady Dimaria would love to fight her in single combat... if she doesn't strip her naked of her dignity in the battlefield first that is..._ , Val thought about the female Fairy Tail S-Class Mage she had notice a while back prior to the events at Garage Village.

Something came to her mind about Erza's hair color and strong sense of authority, the Wandering Wizard mentally noted. _And that scarlet hair of hers, could she be... *gulps nervously* related to Lady Irene?... What a scary thought... Now that I think about it, Juliet Sun and Heine Lunasea once gossiped to me at the castle's barracks canteen that Lady Irene was from Ishgar before they stopped there immediately because it was a_ very _sensitive topic to their superior. Thankfully she was nice enough to let that issue slide and being nice and friendly with a humorous side to me when she overheard it but that's just it. Man, Lady Irene's scary!_

Meanwhile at Magnolia, Erza sneezed for some reason and wondered aloud on what could have caused her to do that, thinking Natsu or Gray may had insulted her behind her back before shrugging it off and packing all of her things in a cart full of large bags for the scheduled train ride to Oshibana Station with Natsu and Gray she had formally requested of their aid at the Fairy Tail guildhall on a certain mission of utmost importance.

The Fire Dragon Slayer and the Ice-Make Mage had the same chilling bone down their spines in that same night.

"Oh well. Fun's over with this armor. Time to change back to my classic attire. **Requip...** Lead the way, Wendy. I'm starving.", the orange-haired woman switched back to her wizard robes once more through a light blue Magic circle before following Wendy and Carla to where the guild had gathered for a dinner time together much like how the people of the town gather for a feast.

At the dinner feast held within Cait Shelter guildhall, everyone is enjoying themselves with same routine of eating, drinking and socializing themselves in a normal way except for brawling of course which is a good change of atmosphere.

Lighting a pipe with Fire Magic, the female Alvarez Mage smoked a few times and conjured dynamic smoke rings and figuration of a pack of reindeers passing through them much to Wendy's delight.

However, the female Exceed wasn't amused as she covered her nose and shooed away the smoke clouds. "You shouldn't smoke in front of the child! And isn't smoking bad for your health, young woman?"

"Fufufufu. Actually, it is not made of tobacco if you're wondering. Pipe-weed is a special tobacco grown and enjoyed much from where I came from. It's also known as _sweet galenas_ for its sweet fragrance.", the Wandering Wizard explained.

Sniffing a little, the young blue-haired girl commented. "It really does smell sweet-scented, Miss Val."

"Indeed it does, care to try?", Valeria playfully offered her pipe to Wendy in response.

"Absolutely not! She's too young to try such things meant for adults!", Carla haughtily fumed in concern of the young girl's innocence.

Laughing at the Exceed's reaction, she took away the pipe away while watching the former fuming upset. "I was just kidding! Hahahaha! Of course, I won't let her try it... maybe."

"U-umm... Miss Val..", Wendy meekly asked but was interrupted by a simple raise of hand.

"You can call me Val, little Wendy. Calling me 'miss' like that make me feel old...", the orange-haired woman said in a deadpanned manner.

"Uh.. ok. Val, what kind of Magic do you use? I-I heard from the newspaper about you from your exploits against some group of powerful wizards from Seven at Garage Village near the borders... They say you used several different types of Magic all at once that overwhelmed them single-handedly all by yourself. People say you're a really strong wizard, Val."

Smiling a little at the compliments, the female Alvarez Mage answered. "Well, I could say it's true Wendy. Yes, I use any kind of Magic at my disposal as this is my specialty aside from fireworks but I'm excelled at Elemental types at most of them out of all of them. I was taught by my old master in his tutelage of Magical studies I prided myself in."

Carla spoke up, "You can use different types of Magics by your whim, young woman? Sounds impressive for an Independent wizard like you. With such extraordinary skill, Guilds all across Fiore would do anything to have you as their member with such Magical caliber. Your master must be an extremely powerful wizard if you learned so much from him."

 _Well Master August is the Magic King and also the strongest member among the Spriggan 12 after all. Of course, he's truly extremely powerful. Only Lady Irene is truly equal to him and no one else will be..._ , Val internally smirked with pride to have learned under the elderly Shield of Spriggan during her years of apprenticeship while complimenting the Scarlet Despair at the same time before she replied back, "I know, Carla. Guilds such as Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Hound Holy and even Fairy Tail for example had tried that but none of them had fit my standards but I left them either in good and neutral terms due to my services as a freelancer I provided for them."

"You must be a very picky woman aren't you Valeria? Well, it would be best for you to not run into Phantom Lord at Oak Town or any of their guild divisions around the country. I heard they are not like your friendly neighborhood people that you are familiar of and acted like those of uncivilized Dark wizards. They might try recruit you into their side due to your reputation.", the female Exceed commented which the female Alvarez Mage simply nodded.

"And what about Cait Shelter? I-I mean, our Guild really isn't well known but I-I was asking if you want to join us...", the young Cait Shelter Mage shyly asked.

Making a soft giggle, the classic wizard patted the girl's head. "Wendy, I appreciate the offer but... I am an Independent wizard and I like to live on my own terms, not by someone else's rules here. Besides if I joined your Guild, I had the funny feeling that every Guild of Fiore will end up shocked and jealous that I, Valeria Autumn the Wandering Wizard and the Wicked Witch of the West, had finally settled in on a minor Guild that almost none had heard of."

"Well, it's their loss. If a minor Guild such as Cait Shelter can manage to convince someone like you to join us, then they're not even putting much enough effort and gave up that easily. But since you clearly didn't want to, then we respect your decision.", Carla mildly scoffed.

"I-I don't mind really. I was just asking, that's all.", Wendy simply stated.

Then Val asked the blue-haired girl a question in mind, "And what about you Wendy? The Magic you healed my cursed wounds earlier. I thought Healing Magic is a rare Magical art believed to be long-lost and nonexistent anymore in this country."

"Well, umm... I use Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. Taught by my foster mother Grandeeney, a Dragon before she disappeared 7 years ago.", the reply of the young Cait Shelter Mage gave Valeria Autumn a look of shock and surprise that she had met another Dragon Slayer in this minor Guild of Fiore. The first one was Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail and known as "Salamander" taught by his Dragon, Igneel.

"Y-y-you're a Dragon Slayer?!", she said with awe and visible sweat-drop which the blue-haired girl nodded in confirmation. _Whoa, Dragon Slayers here in Ishgar are getting less rare now, do they?_

"Of course, Wendy is the Sky Dragon Slayer, Valeria. To explain this, she possesses a type of Dragon Slayer Magic which grants her various characteristics belonging to a Sky Dragon, allowing them to incorporate the element of air into her body. However, unlike other types of Dragon Slayer Magic if there are Dragon Slayers out there in Fiore and possibly other countries, her Magic is also geared more towards healing and support rather than just offense.", the female Exceed explained the mechanics of the Lost Magic wielded by Wendy Marvell similar to how Happy explained about Natsu's Magic back in Hargeon Town.

Continuing her further explanation, "The healing power granted by it is extremely high, having been described as capable of healing wounds inflicted by a real Dragon and it was enough to almost completely cure most injuries it was used on so far, and to nullify the effects of powerful poisons and curses, and is capable of restoring the body internally and externally including a patient's fatigue and body stress."

"So that's why I felt a whole lot better when Wendy healed me of my wounds. Not even my Light Healing can completely treated them due to the Open Wounds spell. Very impressive Magic you got there Wendy.", Val realized as she raised her chin with her hand to absorb the information explained to her.

Scratching her head sheepishly, the young Dragon Slayer said. "I-it's nothing really. You were bleeding a while back then and I was afraid you might collapse in blood loss. So I had use my Magic to heal you back to full health... A-and thanks for the c-compliments, Val. However, employing my Magic seemed to be very tiring for me. I can't make use of them in consecutive reprises, nor can I use it to heal and restore myself."

"A healer that cannot heal herself? That's a really bad drawback of your Magic if you ask me.", the Wandering Wizard raised an eyebrow at one of the flaws of Sky Dragon Slayer Magic.

"Yes, it's true Valeria. Wendy cannot heal herself if she were to be injured in the field and must be protected in the back at all times. But that doesn't mean she can't fend for herself. In addition to healing, Sky Dragon Slayer Magic can also grant support in battle, by boosting allies' physical prowess. Despite healing and support being its main abilities, this form of Magic, like other types of Dragon Slayer Magic, is said to possess great destructive power.", Carla elaborated more while the girl was being her cute shy self.

The white Exceed sighed exasperatedly, "Because of her Magic, Wendy is formally known as the 'Sky Sorceress' here in Cait Shelter but unfortunately, she lacks the confidence and self-esteem as a full-fledged wizard. Honestly, that timidity of the child makes people look down on her because that."

"I-I'm sorry Carla. U-um, I... I can't actually fight at all but... I know lots of support spells of my Magic that should be useful. So, I really don't want to be left out completely!", the girl meekly said.

Finding her so adorable when she's like that, the Wandering Wizard wrapped her arms around the girl. "Awww... Of course you're not being useless! You are something special! You just needed a little push. Give it ten years later or so, you're gonna be a one hell of a powerful wizard and a proud Dragon Slayer of Cait Shelter with a real beauty to behold in the future!"

"Vallll!", the young Sky Dragon Slayer pouted after being hugged and cuddled by the older woman while the Exceed sighed that the former's cuteness is one of her few perks of personality and seemed to notice Valeria being more agreeable than she had expected.

Noticing the Guild Master of Cait Shelter after letting go of Wendy, Val saw him filling a cup full of ale before chugging down the ale bottle down his throat instead of drinking the cup much to the chagrin of her and all other members of the Guild. And then, he started to speak while his mouth is full of wine again to everyone's chagrin which several men and women kept on insisting to maintain his table manners.

However, she sensed something is really off and decided to check things out first.

 ** _Life Essence... Mana Essence..._** _Hmm... Wait, w_ _hat the?... The Magical energy signatures of all members of this Guild are similar to each other for some reason and they're all linked to... Cait Shelter Guild Master Roubaul. Could it be Organic Link Magic?... No, this is something else... Time to ask him directly. After the feast that is..._ , the Wandering Wizard wondered in thought after analyzing the people around her with Magic.

The dinner feast within the Cait Shelter guild had lasted until the clock struck 10 of Earth Land time and all those attending there had to call it a day and get some rest themselves for tonight. But the ex-Magic King's apprentice stayed behind to personally ask questions with Roubaul without any interruptions or eavesdropping.

After everyone left the building including Wendy and Carla, Valeria simply raised a hand that summoned a violet Magic circle and chanted a spell that rendered sound null and void from being heard from the outside. **"Mute..."**

Sensing the spell is in effect, the elderly man spoke while pouring a cup of wine with his jug. "Nabura... What's with the Sound Magic spell that nullifies the noise from this room, Miss Valeria? There's no need for that, Nabura... If this is about business and trade for fireworks you are infamous of and your services as a freelancer or even joining Cait Shelter, I am sure Wendy and Carla and all other guild members wouldn't mind. Nabura... "

"Who are you?", Val instead asked the Guild Master of Cait Shelter who looked confused for a brief moment.

"U-um... I'm sorry miss. Did you say something? Nabura...", Roubaul said after finished drinking his ale from his jug instead of the mug he filled earlier.

The orange-haired woman asked again sternly while taking the cup filled with ale, "I said who are you?... You're no ordinary Guild Master, aren't you? For a minor Guild, you're incredibly powerful enough to be on a level of a Wizard Saint aside from Wendy's potential as a powerful Dragon Slayer. In fact, the Magical signatures of you and all of your subordinates in Cait Shelter sans Wendy and Carla are all similarly linked together as one after I sensed them. At first, I thought this was Organic Link Magic but it felt something really off for a guild made of descendants of the Nirvit situated near the Worth Woodsea where Nirvana is. Coincidence? I think not. So, care to tell me the details, Master Roubaul? Copious details..."

Sighing in reluctance, Roubaul decided to explain to the former Magic King's apprentice as he began to speak after putting down the jug. "Alright, I will indulge you of the truth... I ask you that you listen carefully to what I am about to reveal Miss Valeria. First of all, we are not descendants of the Nirvit tribe... We _are_ the Nirvit tribe and the man responsible for the creation of Nirvana 400 years ago... was I."

 _No way... So he and his people are actually Nirvits and the ones who created Nirvana 400 years ago... He must be an incredibly powerful Ishgarian wizard if he had lived that long including the rest of this Guild... Wow.._ , the young woman realized in her thoughts that she had met the ancient Mage who is the Guild Master of Cait Shelter full of members believed to be descendants from that same tribe in the history archives at Vistarion.

"Four hundred years ago..., in the hope of putting an end to the wars that ravaged the world, I created the Magic of Reversal Nirvana. Nirvana became our home and nation, a symbol of peace for many long years. But a great power will always finds itself opposed by another. For all the darkness that it had turned to light, Nirvana had taken more and more 'darkness' upon itself.", the ancient Nirvit spirit said as Val listened intently.

Continuing his history he said more, "It is a matter of balance. It is impossible to simply change people's natures from dark to light. Where darkness is born, so must be light... and where light is born, so must be darkness."

"Does grey counts? Both light and dark natures of the person mixed together at the same time. Can it be affected?", Val asked which Roubaul confirmed that Nirvana cannot affect those with grey nature and are considered somewhat immune to the Magic of Reversal's effects due to its balance together.

"Now where Nabura was I?... Oh yes... The darkness that had been lost from the targets of Nirvana came to settle upon the Nirvits themselves. It was _hell_. We fought among ourselves almost to extinction. I was the only one to survive. No... I suppose even that is no longer quite accurate. Even my own body perished many years ago now. I remain as little more than a spirit.", the short elderly man revealed more details that shocked Val with a visible sweat-drop of nervousness

 _God, I am talking to an ancient spirit of a Nirvit here in Cait Shelter... Now that's something you don't see everyday..._ , she thought.

He resumed his explanation, "In order to atone for the sin I committed... and in order to find one with the power I have not, who might destroy Nirvana in my stead... I have watched over this place for four hundred years. Now... my task has yet to be finally over and will not rest til it is destroyed."

"And what about Cait Shelter? The reason behind its founding of the Guild where Wendy and Carla joined. They say it is composed of descendants of the Nirvit yet you said it yourself to be the only survivor of sorts.", Val asked again while taking a sip.

"Nabura... I must apologize for deceiving the two all this time. All the members of this Guild... were but an illusion that I created.", Roubaul revealed the true nature of Cait Shelter that shocked the former Magic King's apprentice.

"I-Illusions with their own personalities and they looked so real and life-like?! S-such frightful Magical power... Not even my former master can do that...", the young woman muttered at the scary use of Illusion Magic before letting the old man further explain more.

 _T-th-the only known person in Alvarez capable of creating such apparent illusionary life replicas with personalities and memories was Lord Neinhart and his Historia of the Dead..._ , she added in thought with a shudder down in her spine about the effeminate Shield of Spriggan's power despite his flowery language and poetic nature that makes him a lot more terrifying among the Spriggan 12.

"...In order to watch Nirvana, I lived alone in this abandoned village. Seven years ago, a boy named Jellal appeared to me and brought Wendy who was unconscious to take good care of her in his stead when she appeared at my doorstep. Taken aback by his clear and earnest gaze of resolve, I could not help but accept. Even though I had sworn to lead a solitary life... Nabura...", the ancient Nirvit spirit said as he closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

He said, "I didn't want to disappoint the girl. When she woke up, she asked me whether the boy Jellal had brought her to a guild, which I had confirmed that we were indeed in a guild for her sake. And so,... I created a Cait Shelter made of illusionary companions."

"A-An entire Guild created for Wendy's sake...", the female Alvarez Mage muttered in shock, feeling ashamed of herself for being a bit paranoid back there and realized that if Wendy hadn't made it to Cait Shelter, or if the leader of Cait Shelter didn't make the illusions, it's very likely she might have died of starvation before finding someone who could help her.

 _Whoever this Jellal is, he sounds like a total asshole for leaving the poor girl before Carla came along instead of staying with her at this Guild. If I ever get to meet him in person, I'm going to give that son of a bitch a piece of my mind!_ , she said in her bitter thought.

"Yes... Nabura... Everything I had done with Nirvana was all my fault. My people are dead and I am but a lingering spirit who cannot do anything but watch over its sealed power while the only good thing I have ever done was taking care of the young girl for a place to call home... Nabura...", the ancient Nirvit said in a tone of sadness and regret.

Putting down the emptied cup, Val said to him in reassurance, "Your secret is safe, Master Roubaul. I won't reveal that sensitive information to anyone unless I see it fit if they're trustworthy enough to keep it. As of the meantime, you _will_ tell Wendy the truth behind the creation of Cait Shelter when the time comes for the right moment. If she heard it from me or eavesdropped from this conversation hadn't I placed the Mute spell around here now, she will deny it and would be traumatized if you told the truth already to her. I don't want to hurt the poor girl that she's been living under an illusion since childhood. She will hear it from you personally. But first, I have conditions in mind."

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity and bewilderment, the Cait Shelter Guild Master questioned. "...And what Nabura are the conditions Miss Valeria?"

"I will take Wendy with me after my stay here. Someone is going to help her master Sky Dragon Slayer Magic even with the basic knowledge of it and also build up her confidence and self-esteem out of her comfort zone and gain experience if she's going to live her career of a wizard. Oh, and Carla comes too since she is obviously the mother figure around her and would risk scratching me in the face if she finds out I stole Wendy from her. The Sky Dragon needed to spread her wings and fly too.", the former Magic King's apprentice set out her conditions.

Pondering on his thoughts for a moments, the ancient Nirvit rubbed his beard. "Hmm... Nabura... I'm not sure about that. Wendy would be scared at first and Carla would fiercely protest this. But... you may have a point there. They have no need for illusionary companions and needed true companions out there. But what about Nirvana? I cannot just leave here this physical world without witnessing its destruction and disband Cait Shelter."

Val spoke out in turn, "Yeah about that... Cait Shelter will still exist technically because of your current stay in the realm of the living until Nirvana's destroyed and you can currently classify Wendy's temporary leave from the Guild as her means of training to become stronger and more confident in her own terms. She will be allowed to return after she finishes her course of mastering wind-type elemental Dragon Slayer Magic."

That is something Roubaul agreed to that since the young Dragon Slayer needed to stand on two legs on her own and grow a spine under Valeria's guidance during the latter's travels as an Independent Mage. Another benefit is that Wendy has the potential to join another _real_ Guild and make real friends with the young woman as the first one, so he accepts her request to be honest and tell her the truth, showing that he did it all out of love for her, but now it's time for both of them to move on when the time is right after Nirvana is eventually destroyed.

"As for Nirvana, I may not have the power to destroy it completely all by myself as you wanted but I can strengthen your seal and add more Magic sealing enchantments around it to prevent some Dark Guilds out there who might want to take it for themselves... In addition, I might place a series of Self-Destruction Magic spells around it as a last resort if they manage to bypass the defenses and try to unleash it instantly. Hopefully that will be more than enough destroy your creation once and for all but I cannot guarantee if it would succeed or not.", she finished with a mischievous smirk.

"Nabura... I suppose that would be the case, Miss Valeria. It feels like a win-win situation if you ask me. Nirvana further protected from being unleashed to the world and destroyed almost immediately if released in either scenarios. You make it sound like a bold but quite daring plan of yours.", Roubaul commented as he chugged down the ale bottle.

The Wandering Wizard simply gave a carefree smile as she removed the Sound Magic spell around the room. "I always have a plan after all. Fufufufufu... Well, best need to get some shut-eye and breakfast, or maybe a second breakfast in the next morning to carry out my plan for your Guild. We will also have some trade in goods and a moderate amount of payment for my services here. Best keep this conversation between ourselves, okay? Good night, Master Roubaul."

Nodding her head respectively at the Nirvit spirit who simply did the same, the young woman left the table and exited the room for tonight's rest, only to see the blue-haired girl and the white Exceed standing next to the door, trying to hear something from their conversation through the wall but thankfully they didn't thanks to the effectiveness of her Mute spell.

"Oh, Wendy. Carla. What are you guys doing there?", Val curiously asked the two Cait Shelter members curiously that shocked them by surprise since they were focused at that time around.

"KYAAAH!", Wendy cried scared and fell on her feet while Carla was shocked too but switched to become agitated at the former apprentice of August. "What is with you, young woman? You don't have to scare poor Wendy like that!"

Sweat-dropping, the orange-haired woman said. "U-uh yeah sorry about that,... but really what are you doing there? Aren't you two supposed to be sleeping for the night? It's getting cold here and we all needed our beauty sleep for tomorrow."

Getting back on her feet, the young Dragon Slayer explained. "W-well, we just wanted to hear to what you want to talk with the Master alone but for some reason, there wasn't a single sound heard from the walls of the Guildhall. I was trying to hear as hard as I could but never got anything at all. My senses as a Dragon Slayer were supposed to be sharper than a normal person."

"I agree with the child. Dragon Slayers are known to possess keener senses than those of normal humans such as in smell, sight and hearing. So explain to us about what is really going on there in the conversation between you and Master Roubaul.", the female Exceed supported.

"Nah, nothing much to say at least. We were discussing strictly business venture between respective professional adults and I was hoping I could sell some Lacrima fireworks to Cait Shelter for my source of income since I'm not a member of any Legal Guild and currently a freelancer. But... I think it may not be the best idea since your Guild Master may not be right in the head sometimes... Especially with his drinking habits and the word 'Nabura' he speaks in his sentences that I'll never understand for some reason.", Val answered with a face of deadpanned and sweat-drop while hiding the true facts from the two for their sakes.

Giggling a little at the older woman's deadpanned reactions, the Sky Dragon Slayer reassured her new friend. "That's Master for you, Val. Normally, he's like that and everyone were confused of his antics but I don't actually mind. He's actually a very kind person here in the Guild."

"Master can be strange sometimes but he is indeed a good person who took good care of Wendy as long as I could remember when I was born here in Earth Land.", Carla stated which the two girls finds it strange and confusing at first but the former pays it to no mind and didn't further discuss it more.

Just like Val said, everyone needed some good shut-eye for the night and the trio decided to do the same as well for a brighter tomorrow.

"So tell me Wendy, what does the name Cait Shelter comes from? Call me curious again. It sounds like a wonderful title for a cute Guild.", the female Alvarez Mage asked in wonder as they walked to a nearby house to stay and sleep for the night.

Wendy answered happily while Carla gave a small smile but kept to herself, "Well, Val. The name of our Guild was originated from when I found an egg of Carla one day before she was born here, hatched from the egg specifically. We gave her a home alongside myself with Master Roubaul and everyone in the Guild. Hence the name 'Cait Shelter'..."

Rubbing on the girl's head fondly like a little sister she never had, Valeria complimented with a warm smile. "Well, that is truly a wonderful name befitting for a Guild, Wendy. Now let's get's some rest for tomorrow. We will have a big day ahead of us!"

That is something the Sky Dragon Slayer and the Exceed agreed on with the Wandering Wizard. However, even in the peaceful dark sky filled with clouds, stars and even the full moon, the night is dark and full of terrors...

* * *

 _At Eisenwald Guildhall near Oshibana Town, Kingdom of Fiore_

In the middle of the night, there was Oshibana, a small, friendly town that is located in the southeastern part of Fiore. With a railway connects it with a series of other towns such as, Clover and Magnolia seems that the main point of the city is the railway station, which constitutes its central point.

However, the city was also the unofficial headquarters of a Dark Guild, Eisenwald where its building is located in the secluded area away from town with ghastly looking trees and spooky ground that gave a haunting look that scares any normal person or a Legal Mage from entering their premises.

The guild's building is a moderately sized building made of stone surrounded by a forest of dead trees. The only portion of the guild's interior shown was a long corridor with some paintings on the wall.

This is Eisenwald, a Dark Guild that specialized in assassinations and operated illegally like all the rest of the other Dark Guilds who either used to be Legal or were never even recognized as one in the first place unless they're Independent Guilds who will do as they please so long their activities won't be breaking the law. They were supposedly disbanded by the Magic Council, but continued taking assassination missions and other illegal guild activities.

As the Magic Council prohibits Mages from taking assassination requests, the guild is ousted from the Mage Guild League six years prior to X784 for continuing them instead of stopping and was currently categorized as a Dark Guild. Later, Eisenwald's Guild Master was arrested by the Rune Knights and the guild was ordered to disband themselves or face the consequences. However, the members ignored the order and continued operating to this day.

At some point in time, Eisenwald became a subordinate guild to the Oración Seis, one of the three core members of the Balam Alliance.

Standing at the entrance of the Dark Guild is a young woman around twenty years old, with short blonde hair and delicate features, giving her a cat-like appearance. She wears a black-hooded cape and an armor is made from the pieces of anything metallic she has taken from their corpses as a trophy off of the targeted Mages, either Legal, Dark and Independent, she has slain for sport.

Her favorite Magic weapons are the stilettos she wears on her side, though she also uses a enchanted mace and a mythril estoc coated with orichalcum.

Her name is Clementine Quintia, a rogue Mage warrior and a former member of the Black Scripture, the strongest scripture in the Holy Empire of Seven who are composed of the most powerful individuals chosen from any corner in the theocratic country from 1st Seat to 12th Seat, although there was also an Extra Seat for the reserve member within their ranks.

In fact, one of them who used to be from the same group was Marie Alvein, the "Archangel of the Mother", who is currently a 5th-ranked Wizard Saint appointed by the Council which is considered a great honor of having the prestigious title in Ishgar and was said to be living a normal family life she had made with her husband and daughter happily somewhere in Seven.

On the ground beneath her boots are a group of horrifically slain Eisenwald Dark Mages composed of Snarl with Sand Magic, a staff-wielding Eisenwald Chicken with Fire Magic, the Eisenwald Twins with twin sais and a Fortune Teller with a broken crystal ball as pools of blood have already formed from their corpses pierced in vital spots Clementine had hit precisely along with few more... alterations added to them.

"Aww... I like those faces of despair I made on them and it's wonderful! Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm... Still I don't get that fortune teller guy that I would die a really horrible death by some wizard in jet-black armor in my future before I stabbed him in both of his droopy eyes. Perhaps I should be worried about the famous Titania of Fiore now that I'm in this country instead of my home turf... Oh well, no matter... She might be a worthy opponent... for a Fiorian. Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm.", she commented with no care of the world before entering the Eisenwald Guildhall casually.

Those Fiorians she had brutally killed earlier had the foolish audacity to try beat and outnumber her with numbers when they encountered her at the entrance and threatened to drown her in blood by their hand, only ended up drowning on their own.

Before she went rogue and a wanted fugitive from Seven, Clementine once held the 9th Seat in the Black Scripture with her epithet known as the "Mage Killer" known for hunting down Dark Mages of the country while her older brother Kuaiesse Quintia held the 5th Seat with his epithet known as the "One Man Army" who is a summoner and a beast tamer with basilisks as his greatest assets and thought to be the strongest fighter alive in the theocratic empire.

Befitting of her feared alias, the blonde woman had the kill count of over at least hundreds of Dark Mages by her hand alone in part of the empire's crackdown on illegal Guilds on its lands and borders with coordination with the Magic Council in supervision often times several years ago. However, Clementine is revealed to be a true psychopath obsessed with inflicting pain and murder as stories from eyewitnesses' account tells her of brutally torturing her prey slowly and painfully while enjoying their screams of pain, agony, mercy and despair.

When she betrayed the Scripture and her country due to her uncontrollable and unpredictable personality, the Mage Killer began a axe-crazy killing spree on Seven's Legal Guilds whenever she finds and left countless of dead Severenth Mages including innocent civilians who are caught in the middle of her game and became fodder of her sick enjoyment. She even stole a Crown of Wisdom and some certain few other powerful Magical weapons from the vaults of Rosalba and kept to herself for further use in the future that really crossed the line as such all acts are absolutely unforgivable that branded her a condemned criminal.

Eventually, the Windflower Scripture, one of the Seven Scriptures in the Holy Empire of Seven that specializes in information gathering and espionage, was sent to hunt her down and eliminate her with extreme prejudice. The former 9th Seat of the Black Scripture would admit their tenacity and fierceness of resolve as she had short skirmishes with them before that left several dead or injured while herself almost unscathed.

That is where she decided to flee to the nearest country away from her own home: the Kingdom of Fiore.

After she fled to Fiore's borders stealthily, the scripture would have continued their pursuit but was forced to stand down and await their orders from one of the Seven Regents in charge of their group due to the international incident between two countries caused by the Sunlight Scripture for attacking a Fiorian Legal Guild and border village before they were humiliatingly defeated by that same Guild aided by an infamous Independent Mage who goes by the name, the "Wandering Wizard" and later the "Wicked Witch of the West" in the kingdom.

That gave Clementine some breathing room and relief that her pursuers had stopped in their tracks and found Fiore a perfect place to continue her acts of wanton psychopathic torture and murder on anyone that has caught her eye of interest on. She didn't have to expect whether a huge bounty of probably over 700 million Jewels or rather Severenth Crowns, in case if she remained in her country, will be laid upon her pretty blonde head sooner or later because no one would be that bold or stupid enough to face the dreaded Mage Killer unless they really had a death wish for the sake of getting the high reward at the cost of their lives.

Notably, the blond woman had happen to stumble upon the Dark Guild known for its assassination specialization and that's what got her attention in the first place and decided to see them for herself.

Upon entering the guildhall of Eisenwald, the ex-Black Scripture stealthily sneaked in and stood by at the dark entrance to the large room where she noticed a lot of men gathered around in the Dark Guild. No women? What a disappointment, these Fiorians must be sexists of sorts. Even in Seven and all other neighboring countries of Ishgar, women are at least respected and given equal standing with men. She had expected to see some few women at least but knowing the lecherous looks on their faces, it may not be the case for them.

At the meeting table, there was a man with long spiky white hair, who is shirtless and has several tattoos around his body, wore a black scarf, black gloves and torn up pants. With him are a young man with tied back hair and wearing a white suit and red undershirt, a man wearing an Egyptian-like headdress that covers his hair, along with black eyebrows, similar colored eyes and tan skin, a tall large man with whiskers, and a short but fat large man.

Seeing that the men hadn't noticed her yet unless she allows them to, the Mage Killer just stood there and eavesdropped in the middle of their conversation. From the bits and pieces of their words, she came to learn that the Fiorian Dark Guild was conspiring to murder the Guild Masters at their Conference of the Local League at Clover Town where the Masters of Legal Guilds meet to have their regular meetings.

It sounded like a simple assassination with the goal to get petty revenge for "locking them up in the darkness" and taking away their lives because of their illegal activities that got them expelled from the Mage Guild League and their rights taken away.

It was so boring and pathetic in her perspective.

However, what really got Clementine's great interest is that they intend to the use of a deadly magical flute called Lullaby, which is an Etherious created by the dreaded Black Wizard, Zeref from ancient times.

Back in her days as the 9th Seat of the Black Scripture, she and her former colleagues were given the task by the Seven Regents to defend the world from the evils of Zeref and his Demons along with wiping all those who worship the Black Wizard since the Faith of the Seven views this as the greatest heresy in Earth Land as this was their sacred mission that was mutually shared with the Magic Council.

Well, they did have several skirmishes against Grimoire Heart and Tartaros, two members of the Balam Alliance when their own mobile headquarters, the Cube and the Grimoire Heart Airship hovered around Seven's territories in the north and west that prompted the Holy Empire to mobilize the Black Scripture to intercept them in two separate events respectively.

Normally the psychopathic woman doesn't give a shit about the group's duties and just wanted to have some "fun", she is in fact extremely confident in her abilities, going so far as to declare herself unbeatable that befits her feared title the "Mage Killer".

To think that a minor Dark Guild had gotten their hands on one of the most dangerous Magical artifacts instead of either of the Balam Alliance was impressive. Most impressive. Not to mention the one named Kageyama had been the person who founded and unsealed for Eisenwald's goals.

Licking her lips in anticipation, Clementine said to herself. "This is more interesting than I thought it would be. I guess fleeing to Fiore was not so bad after all. Originally it should have been Bosco buuutt I guess I changed my mind."

Deciding to show herself before the Fiorian Dark Mages, the Mage Killer casually walked into the middle of the meeting which gotten the attention of Eisenwald as some members were alarmed of her sudden presence that they couldn't even notice until now.

"Well, well, look what we got here boys. Some chick just appeared before Eisenwald. Who are you and state your business here, woman?", the scythe-wielding Dark Mage demanded as he raised his weapon at her.

"Oh my... Quite a gentleman aren't you?", Clementine commented with a slasher smile.

Gritting his teeth in anger, he demanded again, "I said, who are you and state your business here, bitch? And how the hell did you get past my subordinates at the main entrance of the Guild?"

"Oh? You mean your security detail back out there earlier?...", the Mage Killer raised chin as if trying to jug her memory. "I killed them."

"Y-you killed them?", the man with whiskers muttered.

Noticing from taints of blood dripping from the beneath of her boots, the members of the Dark Guild soon realized that the Severenth woman had really murdered their fellows outside the main entrance of their Guildhall. While some may disregard their own comrades if they are proven to be a nuisance and failures, but the thought of being killed by her in a brutal manner even by Erigor's style since he kills his opponents and targets a quick clean death, they had standards to uphold at least.

"Yeah, I did kill them. A weird group of a small goblin, a big-ass chicken, some twins and a fortune teller. Your security detail is so lacking. Played around with them for a while before I enjoyed their screams of pain and agony without letting you know of their demise. They begged me to put them out of their misery but... I didn't and left them to rot.", she casually said sadistically.

"T-th-the Mage Killer! From the Holy Empire of Seven! EEEIKK!", the fat man exclaimed in terror upon recognizing her and quickly used his Earth Magic to hide behind the walls for his own safety through a brown Magic circle, shocking and bewildering his comrades of his sudden panicking.

"W-what?! What the hell do you mean by that Karacka!", the Egyptian-headdressed man loudly questioned.

Reemerging from the wall, Karacka answered. "R-rayule... If I heard the tales and rumors right, th-th-that woman standing before us is a member of the Black Scripture. Severenth wizards and warriors of greater caliber of an S-Class wizard! She's one of them! Clementine the 'Mage Killer' of the Black Scripture!"

The men of Eisenwald turned around cautiously at the blonde woman who was simply amused with cat-like smile that her reputation was quite known here in Fiore too as well. After all, the scripture she was once affiliated with was regarded as the most respected group of powerful people in the Magical World that even the Balam Alliance should be cautious with them even though they hated anything related to the light.

Trying to put a brave face, the scythe-wielding man questioned while standing in front of his men after leaving the table with Wind Magic's levitation. "And what is a member of the Black Scripture like you doing here in Fiore, woman? Little too far away from home?"

"Ohhh! I'm glad you asked shirtless man. You remind me of Bahmeth Trollsbane, the 10th Seat and known as the 'Strongest Warrior' with his bare chest nakedness but tough as nails for an old man. To tell you the truth... I abandoned the Black Scripture.", Clementine answered in a casual yet disturbingly sultry manner.

The Dark Mages were baffled and surprised that one of the strongest fighters from the Holy Empire, who are considered to be in similarity with Legal Mages due to their mutual goals in the light, had abandoned her own country but clearly even they had common sense to notice her sadistic streak and it's fairly obvious why she left.

"S-shirtless man?! I am Erigor the Grim Reaper! The Ace of Eisenwald! All shall fall by my scythe and those who dare defy is 'Death'! I don't care if you abandoned your oh-so-righteous scripture but you're in Fiore's turf now and all alone. I-", the spiky-haired Dark Mage exclaimed at the blonde woman who simply remained quiet and looked unimpressed at first before something quickly happened.

Suddenly and out of nowhere, the Mage Killer dashed full speed in a blink of an eye at Erigor's face and was about to stab her stiletto on his throat for the quick kill but the latter instinctively parried it with his large scythe just in the nick of time that caused a mild shockwave in pressure, much to her intrigue and surprise, and summoned a violet Magic circle from the thrust of his palm that pushed the former Black Scripture member with a large gust of wind several meters away from him.

"Y-you bitch! You dare lay your hands on me! The Grim Reaper of Eisenwald! You will pay for that", the Ace angrily yelled with a vein bulging in his head that a Severenth would be bold to try kill him so suddenly. His fellow subordinates were also enraged too and wanted to teach her a lesson but the fear from Clementine held them back since she could have easily killed them too in a blink of eye as well.

Shrugging off the spiky white-haired man's complaints, the blonde woman sheathed away her lethal weapons. "Looks like Erigory has some bite aside from his loud bark after all. Splendid! Splendid!"

"What?! Y-you were testing me?!", Erigor muttered in outrage after realizing her intentions while feeling even more upset that she even called him by that insulting nickname too. Even now, he still couldn't believe such speed and strength the former 9th Seat of the Black Scripture possessed and was lucky he was alive for now.

Smiling and laughing sadistically, Clementine answered. "Why of course, Erigory! If you weren't that strong as you claimed yourself to be and fell by my hand that easily, it would have been a sad disappointment for a Fiorian Dark wizard like you."

Recomposing himself after that little ahort skirmish he almost died from, the Wind Mage asked. "So what, lady? Are you going to join Eisenwald after that little stunt you pulled off? Is that why you're here in Fiore after abandoning your Black Scripture?"

Acting like a little girl, the Mage Killer suggested. "Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm... Maybe, yes or maybe, no. Besides I always wanted some thrill and excitement to satisfy my needs. It would seem you and your Guild is the perfect place to start... Your plan is to kill the Guild Masters in their conference with this Lullaby you say if I heard it before I showed myself before you, right?... Hmm... How about I spice things up a bit? Just to make things more interesting."

Intrigued a little bit of her idea of suggestion yet still cautious around the woman, the Eisenwald Ace asked. "And how do you do that exactly, Miss Clementine?"

"You see, while I was on a run from Seven. I happen to acquainted myself with Zuranon, a death cult dedicated to Zeref led by the Twelve Executives before leaving here in Fiore. Twenty years ago, that group occupied some ruins and conducted horrifying experiments, which led to a catastrophe that resulted in the destruction of a small city, do you remember? Hmm-hmm-hmm...", she explained that gave a chill of shivers down their spines at the mention of that name.

Zuranon, a secret society due to their previous conviction for the attack on random cities using undead monsters, they are regarded as serious offenders. It is known that the Twelve Executives lead Zuranon. And its name struck fear into the hearts of those who heard it. A powerful and secret organization devoted in research and application of Necromancy and Black Arts such as the R-System.

Extremely dangerous to Ishgar's nations, they are the threat to the peace and society of Ishgar aside from the Tower of Heaven cultists who resorted to slavery from different parts of the continent to use them in building their own version of the R-System to revive the supposedly dead Black Wizard before the Council moved in to disband them.

Within their divisions and assets scattered in several countries of Ishgar, Zuranon have some of the strongest Mages they have to offer including the Twelve High Disciples and, in addition, there are rumors that the organization has a few liches in its ranks.

Because of their reputation, that group is widely regard as the Magic Council's greatest fear aside from Dark Guilds and the Balam Alliance that led them under their control. In fact, even they avoided the group and had nothing to do with them or their goals although the death cult also didn't bother with them either so long as they stay out of their way.

"Z-Zuranon? Those death cultists you say? So this is how you wanted to 'spice things up a bit' in Eisenwald's plan, eh? But how do we even find them? They are much of an elusive group obsessed with raising the dead even Dark Guilds are wary of them.", the spiky white-haired man noted.

"Why not? I can help you contact with them. Through an old acquaintance Haji Dantelba or Haji-jan , one of the twelve core members of Zuranon. He and his division of operatives are at Bosco but I can bring them here to help your revenge scheme in alignment of their operations. Bet, he would love to get his hands on that Lullaby you boys unsealed and utilize it for better purposes. Heard, they got through all the trouble in finding it much less unsealing it unlike Kagey-wagey, who did a much better job than they were, over here."

"It's Kage! The name is Kage, bitch!", the young Eisenwald Mage angrily yelled at the name mispronunciation insult.

 _This could work... With the resources and support of Zuranon plus with the help of an... ally from Seven, our goals shall be finally realized! Nothing can stand in our way now! Not even those pathetic flies from Legal Guilds could stop us from getting our revenge!_ , Erigor realized in thought of the benefits of making an alliance before smirking evilly. "Well, then Miss Clementine. You had me interested there. Perhaps we should discuss more of our mutual terms of business someplace else, shall we?"

"Why of course, Erigory! Happy to work with you and your Guild as an affiliate! I am at your service! Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm!", she gave a cat-smile in response and followed the Grim Reaper, who's still irritated by his new nickname but had to endure it for the sake of everything he had went far, to further discuss new ideas and in alignment of their desires and goals at hand.

Gulping a bit nervously after the two most fearsome people had left the Guild meeting room, the Egyptian-headdress wearing man asked awkwardly. "So, Kage, Byard... Still wish you want some women in our Guild?..."

"Shut up, Rayule... That blondie bitch is a psycho.", both men muttered in annoyance as some members of Eisenwald began to think this may not the best idea at all and would bring further downfall of their guild by aligning themselves with the former Black Scripture member and soon-to-be-Zuranon for their goal of killing the Guild Masters in their conference at Clover.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Whoa, it looks like the fourth chapter of the "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is finished and the next one will come by sooner when I have time and deal with another set of writer's block again. Valeria is in Cait Shelter for a moment and meets Wendy & Carla while discovering the true nature behind the Guild and Nirvana too along the way where she decides to deal something about it and take the two away to have some... adventuring like Gandalf to Bilbo Baggins lol along with new experience on the road. ;) In the meantime Clementine from Seven affiliates herself with Eisenwald for more fun and excitement of killing and inflicting pain that even the Dark Guild themselves find it unnerving and disturbed of her tendencies, especially Erigor the Grim Reaper of all people.**

 **Throughout the rest of the story, I might add some canon immigration and expys whether it suited my purposes for the progression, so expect to see some shoutouts or appearances of characters from other franchises you may or may not be expecting to see in this story of Valeria Autumn, the Wandering Wizard from Alvarez.**

 **If you have ideas and suggestions for this story, I'm all ears. And also, I'm opening SYOC for anyone who would want to submit their OCs as a part in this story, in order to make thing more interesting. ;)**

 **Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello once again and what's up everyone? I'm back and the fifth chapter of "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is here. Thank you for your early support and reviews (even though I got unnecessarily spammed by Thaqif but it's better than nothing and some of his statements make sense) of this Fairy Tail fanfic where the OC did not join the Guild right away. Valeria had gained two companions, Wendy Marvel and Carla that formed a small group together while Guilds discuss about the non-membership of the Wandering Wizard with an unexpected attendee dropping in. Meanwhile Team Natsu discuss about the Wicked Witch of the West on the train and Erza's... interest on her which worries the Fairy Tail Mages for Val.**

 **Responses to the reviews that I cannot reply back to in Inbox properly:**

 **Guest: Guess so, thanks for getting interested. Don't you worry, Clementine is gonna fight Valeria and would soon get creamed by her like a psycho bitch she is, hence the Overlord moment but unlike that series, this will be set on a certain different circumstances...**

 **Thaqif 1: Lightning Devil Slayer OC huh? Interesting. As for the villains from the games as references for new OCs, I will consider them. Military contractors with highly-trained combat abilities and sociopath tendencies and rich, insufferable and nihilistic genius villain might be interesting.**

 **Thaqif 2: Of course, Wendy and Carla would be temporarily coming along with Valeria on the journey around Fiore (and probably some neighboring countries of Ishgar if she ever got that far) and still retained their status as Cait Shelter Mages who just left to train and become stronger. Wendy would definitely gain experience, development and wisdom while training her Sky Dragon Slayer Magic and Carla might pick up a few things to learn on the road too as well like her Precognition control and Transformation in the manga canon. Once they finished training, those two will return back to their Guild prior to the Oracion Seis arc where they will kick some ass for sure. :D**

 **Of course, it will be refreshing to have a villain on the level of the video games that Fairy Tail has never seen before.**

 **Thaqif 3 & 4: Okay then, don't you worry I know how to portray characters, both hero, villain and neutral, in my writing. Just needed some specific description of their personality. I like your OC's personality, and I promise not to screw it up once he debuts in any of the future chapters. It will be somewhat a contradiction towards the idealistic tone of FT.**

 **Thaqif 5: Another pair of new OCs with their character stats and profile from Warframe, interesting. Okay I will have those two as a part in the story. True enough guns/melee weapons make a perfect combo weapon powered by one's abilities, so they might be portrayed in this story. :D**

 **Thaqif 6: Cool, I already watched Overwatch and it's amazing. Especially the cinematics recently. Perhaps I will add Overwatch as a Guild along with its characters there in this story.**

 **Thaqif 7: I did, dude. Most of the stories he have are all Private Military Contractor-centric. So yeah, there will be Earth Land versions of those groups as Combat and Mercenary Guilds. And sure, Raiden Nemesis' background will remain ambiguous as much as possible.**

 **Thaqif 8: Of course that's a weak excuse that Makarov will soon take notice of it in his line of thought when he's at the Guild Master Conference in Clover Town and find Valeria's intentions and motives suspicious. True, I already retconned that in Chapter 4. And you're right, she would be found out by the Magic Council to be from the Western Continent once she joined FT a little quickly and a little much quicker thanks to the Guild's reputation with them. It spells big trouble for her and hence she became an Independent Mage with freelancer activities.**

 **Thanks man, I really appreciated it but no more unnecessary topics not related to the story. It would have been boring if you did spam. Hehehehe.**

 **Thaqif 9: Sorry I'm not that much of a helper to anyone because I have limited time to do so. Even if I did, I don't know how to use beta here.**

 **Thaqif 10: Oh condolences man. Don't worry, PMC groups will be blended with the Magic World in this story for sure.** **I was busy with summer class and internship so I didn't update my stories recently until now. Sorry but don't worry I will update Akame no Taizai and Fate Sins soon enough when I have time.**

 **Assholeoftheyear: Thanks sis. :D It's kinda annoying but Thaqif may have a point because not much had reviewed this story lately and unless I got them really interested,**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters. They respectively belong to Hiro Mashima, the author of the manga series. Same goes for A-1 Animation Studios and FUNimation for the old anime adaptation that I sorely missed and still need of accepting the current incarnation from 2014-2016 now.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review. :D Constructive criticisms, suggestions, advice and ideas are always welcome here and as for flames and insults, THEY SHALL NOT PASS!**

* * *

Chapter 5

 _Somewhere near in the Southern Outskirts of Fiore, September X784_

In an open grassland area near the forest with a bright sun, a clear blue sky and a set of clouds above their heads, there is a campsite where there are three individuals who have their First Breakfast in the morning after a good night's sleep a week ago. Ever since Wendy Marvell and Carla temporarily left Cait Shelter, they have traveled with Valeria Autumn on the road of Fiore wherever it takes them and plus, this was a wonderful opportunity to train their Magics and skills to become stronger and also gain experience, development and wisdom on the journey.

Prior to their departure, it would seem that Master Roubaul had decided to tell Wendy and Carla the truth behind Cait Shelter and also Nirvana as well after taking in Valeria's advice. The elderly man decided that those two deserved to know and they shall have it as this is now or never.

This happened in that moment while the former Magic King's apprentice ventured deep within the woods to booby-trap the sealed Magic of Reversal and further strengthened its seals around it in order to prevent access from any Dark Guild attempting to come and steal it for their typical evil plan. Luckily for her, Nirvana hadn't affected her personality, at least not yet when it's still sealed.

But she did get a little bit disoriented by being a little bit too close to its Magical aura which the effects slowly shrugged off of her head or so it seems...

Any normal person would have reacted badly that they've been living a lie for so long that they would have snapped in blind anger. But the Sky Dragon Slayer was a kind and gentle person with understanding thanks to being raised by Grandeeney who is also kind and gentle too that she forgave the ancient Nirvit and would always considered Cait Shelter her home while it lasts.

Of course, Carla was shocked of this and was very upset about it but soon followed Wendy when she was accepting with the truth.

The elderly Master of Cait Shelter even revealed that he already told this to the Wandering Wizard when she demanded of the truth and also accepted Valeria's offer to take Wendy and also Carla for a trip outside the Guild to further expand themselves in knowledge, experience and wisdom and grow stronger.

It was by the time the orange woman got back from Waas Forest, the Sky Dragon agreed with a new resolve and conviction.

When it's time to leave, the young girl thanked the rest of Cait Shelter and Master Roubaul for everything to have a home and family alongside Carla and will cherish them even if they're not real, aware to the fact told to her that they will only disappear once Nirvana was destroyed and the ancient Nirvit will depart peacefully in the afterlife of Heaven.

That scene made Val cry a little before ended getting comically scratched in the face by the female Exceed with wings in one of her cute outrages at the former's expense. Because Carla believed she did this behind their backs but the young woman claimed she did no such thing and "just needed to give them a little push". Luckily Wendy's healing had removed those bloody scratch marks off her face, otherwise it would have left a scar that might ruin her beauty a little bit.

As for a change of clothing after leaving the apparent illusionary Guild and going down on the road with the Wandering Wizard, Wendy wore simple white shirt that has black markings at her sleeves and buttons with a small green cloak and long blue skirt, along with some brown boots of her size. Carla retained her original clothing but added a little small cloak just for her height.

After they left, Valeria had trained and taught young Wendy with most simple but apparently military-styled exercises and drills that involves building up her physical strength and enhancing her senses and skills for quicker reaction and counter reaction that was set to medium level but took it slow and steady, not rushing things out and enjoy some spare time while they're at it including reading books about strategy and combat tactics on a basic level. She also asks the girl of what offensive spells of her Dragon Slayer Magic have, only to reveal she have just one, a breath attack.

"It would seem Wendy's training has gone good alright.", the white talking cat commented on the progression recently.

The female Alvarez Mage smiled, "Yup, this was just the start. Wendy has yet to reach her potential as a powerful Dragon Slayer to be proud of. Every journey begins according to a certain wise man."

"Uh, t-thanks Val. Until now, my only offensive attack was the roar. But now I learned how to use more attack spells involving melee fighting. Grandeeney didn't teach me much about using my Magic for offense rather than defense. She was a kind and gentle Dragon who is a pacifist.", the young girl blushed at the compliment while holding a plate of good food.

Rubbing the girl's head fondly, Val commented. "You're welcome. This is but a single step to your full potential and we take this slow. Know this, Wendy. Your mind is the weapon. Use your imagination and be creative on using your Magic on the offense and defense. Because the power of the wind is at your beck and command and bend it to your will... Even if you're a pacifist which you are, sometimes a pacifist needs to fight back if it's pushed around too far but still retained one's gentle nature to show you're still different from them."

The young Sky Sorceress nodded in understanding of her older friend's lessons by heart.

"And what about that short short and a dagger you have given Wendy?", the Exceed spoke as she pointed out the ones sheathed next to Wendy's waistline while the other is in the older woman's possession.

"With a weapon, it is possible a Dragon Slayer can channel their Magical power into it and perform even more effective and focused attacks.", the Wandering Wizard explained as she sharpened the dagger. She just finished her First Breakfast a while ago and was currently doing the same thing now.

"You do know Wendy is not a swordswoman unlike you right? She could barely harm a fly with it.", Carla reminded.

She shrugged as she then returned the sheathed dagger back to her little student, "I know but it wouldn't hurt to try and learn a new skill for once. With her Dragon Slayer Magic of the wind element itself, she can create powerful air attacks with a weapon at will after learning the basics of sword using and dagger using too as well."

"Y-you didn't have to give them to me, Val...", the blue-haired young girl stuttered at the weapons that given to her by Val from a little souvenir of one of her findings in a solo journey a while back when she became the Wandering Wizard earlier.

Shaking her head, Valeria reassured. "I would because you can do better with them. You can still use hand-to-hand combat too that would make a powerful combination. As your teacher, consider them a gift to you."

"Hai!", Wendy said.

Turning to Carla, the female Alvarez Mage asked. "So what were those wings in your back?"

"This is the Exceeds' signature Magic which I share with, Aera. It allows me to sprout large angelic wings that give me the ability to fly. While flying, I can carry objects or people, but is limited to carrying only one passenger. And furthermore, there is also a time limit to how long the I can fly and once I'm out of Magic Power, the wings will disappear", Carla explained with wings appearing on her back as example.

 _Just like Happy indeed_ , Val bemused in thought before commenting. "So you're like Wendy's air support then? To carry her around to higher ground. Very useful."

Dispelling her wings, the white Exceed said. "Indeed, I use Aera to carry Wendy to places where a child like can't normally reach and get her out of tight spots if she ever gets trapped or cornered. All the jobs Wendy took were menial and healing tasks with minimum but decent pay and someone should be there to help settle the payments for her success of the missions with full-grown adults."

"I wonder if this is some kind of trend for Dragon Slayers to have Exceeds as their partners. Because you and Wendy would make a great team together. The Sky Sisters I believe.", the orange-haired woman mused.

Somewhere at Phantom Lord in Oak Town, a certain spiky long-haired man sneezed while chewing on his grub of iron and wondered if some weakling trash talk about him in his back before shrugging it off and continued eating like nothing happened. While at the same time from the Magic school in Era, a certain young pink-haired girl sneezed also and believed it to be the small cold while reading a book about Sky God Slaying Magic in the library.

"What was that type of Magic you used earlier? The one you laid _way_ _too many_ booby traps and self-destruct spells around Nirvana? Sounds overkill and crazy prepared...", the female Exceed asked about it with a deadpan sweat-drop when she and Wendy earlier witnessed series of many Magical glows that be seen in a distance from Valeria cast many spells around the sealed Magic of Reversal which happened to be on the large ancient tree glowing with immeasurable Magic power inside before they departed Cait Shelter for the journey.

"Maximize Magic. A type of supportive Magic that allows me to enhance the potency and strength of my spells to a whole new level, making them even more stronger and more powerful. The spells I used around Nirvana and its wide surrounding area are: **Explode Mine, Auto-Trigger, Silent Trap, Self-Destruction Spell, Greater Magic Sealing, Hollow Sound, Forest Maze and Killer Mine.** Using it multiple times as much as I want with Maximize Magic, I made Nirvana a _very dangerous_ place to try claim and unseal it without getting past them first. I mean where's the fun in that? Fufufufufu.", the female Alvarez Mage explained while using her fingers to count the spells she used.

"Oh so it's like my supportive spells of Sky Dragon Slayer Magic but mine is more focused on enhancing the body's strength, speed and agility while yours is more on sheer Magical power.", Wendy spoke with intuition and intelligence.

Smirking at the girl's intellect, Valeria noted. "That's correct Wendy. Maximize Magic is quite similar to your enchantments but are indeed different that sets them apart. However they do have a drawback: never use it when your Magic power is at its lowest due to the great risks that could lead to Magic Deficiency Disease or worse, death if I use it too much."

"Oh...", both the young Dragon Slayer and Carla noted.

"Aside the risks, Maximize Magic is a very useful auxiliary power to boost your primary Magic's strength. If you add that with your Magic, your spells will be a force to be reckoned with like an enormous hurricane ready to blow everything away in its path.", the Wicked Witch smirked at Wendy.

"T-thanks Val.", she spoke with an embarrassed face.

"Wendy! Have some more faith in yourself. Valeria had spent most of her time teaching you to become a strong and confident wizard to be proud of on the road since we left Cait Shelter temporarily few days ago. You must not let that go to waste!", Carla softly reprimanded her human companion.

"Nah, it's alright Carla. Wendy is just a little girl after all. Like I said, give her ten years and she will become a one hell of a powerful wizard and a proud Dragon Slayer of Cait Shelter and soon of any future Guild you join with real beauty to behold in the future!", the Wandering Wizard fondly said after wrapping her arms around the flustered Sky Dragon Slayer again to cuddle.

When another batch of food was properly cooked and served in the campfire, the group of an Alvarez Mage, a Sky Dragon Slayer and an Exceed were having a Second Breakfast now which was strange for those two Fiorians to get used to and Valeria justified that this was her farm village's tradition in Alakitasia but never mentioned her homeland.

Sipping on fresh hot tea, the white-haired talking cat wondered and brought up the certain subject. "Excuse me, Valeria. What was that tome you gave to Master Roubaul before we left Cait Shelter?"

"Oh that, Carla. That is the tome of the Historia of the Dead.", the young woman answered that got her traveling companions' attention and surprise. _I may_ never ever _want to learn that Magic and I'm not_ that _heartless like Lord Neinhart does but_ _I kept the tome for study and understand its functions until I gave it to Master Roubaul as a token of favor to make Cait Shelter a little more useful in the long run._

"H-historia of the Dead, what is that, Val?", Wendy asked with a hint of fear nervousness as she believed it might be some form of Dark Magic.

The classic wizard explained, "It is a Caster Magic that allows the user to materialize the histories of their targets' past after looking into the hearts of others, view and create a replica of the deceased of those in the individual's past that made a lasting impact upon them, be it as a result of hard-fought combat, love, or simply immense respect... The replicas of Historia are _not_ illusions as they retained personalities, memories, as well as any Magic and abilities they possessed from their lifetime... In Master Roubaul's case, he will create the physical manifestations of his departed friends, loved ones and family, the Nirvits from his heart to compensate Cait Shelter's strength while you both are away on a journey with me and since he's a spirit bound here because of Nirvana's existence, that's the only extent of his power he can maintain them so long his immense Magic power wills him to do so."

"So then, all of Cait Shelters are now physically real and not illusions at all?", Carla noted with the orange-haired woman giving a nod in confirmation.

"Yup, those guys can do Jobs by themselves around the country to keep the Guild going financially and probably interact better with real people but will keep a low profile of course until Nirvana's destroyed, only then Master Roubaul will dispel them and can finally rest in peace, knowing he had raised you and take care well for your sakes.", Val replied with a soft smile.

"That is good to hear. Even though everyone in the Guild weren't real, Cait Shelter is always my home I grew up and cherished with Carla.", Wendy muttered with a sad smile. "Umm... Val? Will I see Jellal again?..."

"Don't you worry, Wendy. I think you'll meet him again eventually. Who knows? He might be out there somewhere.", the Wicked Witch replied but in her dark thoughts. _Right after I rip off his manhood and feed it to the goats just like Jenny would say when I overheard her beating the crap out of sparkly hobbit and the three musketeers. He fucking left Wendy behind for crying out loud! What the hell is he thinking like that?!_

Somewhere in the far corners of Fiore, a certain man cloaked in bandages and that tattered robes of a ninja and carrying several unique-looking staffs at his back and one in his hand had felt a high degree of fear down his spine as he wonders out loud why did he sensed someone had a serious bone to pick with him in the first place even though he managed not to get any attention from anyone, even at his own Guild.

Deciding to try on a certain element in a small-scale, the former Magic King's apprentice conjured a concentrated black orb made of ominous mist from the palm of her hand with enough focus to do so albeit some little pain and numbness but it worked good enough.

The bluenette young girl noticed this with a small sniff which made her back away quickly in alarm and asked, "Um. Val, what is that? The black orb... It smells... dangerous.. Too dangerous."

Valeria explained as she held an orb composed of such dangerous element floating in her hand, " **Magic** **Barrier** **Particles...** Also known as Anti-Ethernano, they take the form of a black mist that quickly spreads in its environment. They feed on the Ethernano in the atmosphere and contaminate it, causing anyone that breathes it in to become poisoned, as well as have their Magic weakened. The said poison is lethal, especially to wizards. Additionally, magical barriers like Jutsu Shiki barriers, for example, are comprised of what is also called Magical Barrier Particles."

"Isn't that a little too dangerous to wield that kind of power?", Carla asked with a hint of fear and skepticism while Wendy held her tight that she won't let go.

"Unless you have entirely focused control and concentration to keep it contained, these particles would spread everywhere unchecked. Which would mean bad news. _Really bad news_.", she explained before touching the orb again and it was absorbed into her skin that seemed to become the very particles themselves albeit briefly and little painfully.

"L-like what exactly Val?...", the Sky Sorceress asked her while feeling a bit disturbed of how her teacher's arm being made of black mist, not flesh and bone just for a moment.

Pondering on her thoughts, the Wicked Witch implied. "Hmm... How about this?... Picture an entire populated area with full of people, made of wizards and normal guys. And if there's anyone here in this continent with Magic Barrier Particles used this on them, unleashing the black mist like a chemical bomb exploding... It will be horrible sight... Everyone caught in it will suffer the effects of the Anti-Ethernano and die a slow painful death even if none of them are wizards in the first place. They can be absorbed through breathing and skin contact."

Both Cait Shelter Mages seemed to be horrified of what Valeria Autumn had described and even a bit more when they saw her almost completely becoming the black mist themselves like she became a half-living ghost of darkness.

"That sounds terrible...", Wendy felt really scared at the black particle mist around the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Indeed, those Magic Barrier Particles is terrible and should not be used lightly. That kind of power would be easily classified as Dark Magic if you have used, didn't you know that Valeria?", the Exceed stated.

Val mentally commented to herself while turning her arm and half of her body back to normal albeit a bit in pain that she silently gritted her teeth, _Lord Bradman is the only known user of the Magic Barrier Particles in Alvarez who is like the God of Death who kills his enemies without even touching them. As for how I got these Magic Barrier Particles as part of my mastery of Magics under Master August, he gave me tips on how to use it in my own 'safe' version made of the magical barriers when he dropped the texts in the middle of my studies at Vistarion despite I had stayed_ far away _from him for my own safety. I_ barely _even know him at all which begs the question why he did that in the first place. Neither my master or even Lady Irene could not answer that._

 _Anyways according to the texts about his ability and the tips he gave me_ _, he can manipulate the deadly anti-Magic particles offensively in various ways such as to kill people without the apparent need to touch them, an act which strikes fear in the hearts of his enemies, thus opting for them to compare the fearsome foe to a real God of Death. The first visible effect of the Magic causes the blood vessels around the eyes of his victims to swell considerably; subsequently, they cough up blood and_ die horribly _. Too cruel even for me that I won't do that. Defensively, it allows Lord Bradman to_ _deform and reform his body seemingly at will to avoid physical and magical attacks just like mine albeit briefly and small-scaled. Keeping it up much longer than the intended duration of 1 hour would kill me from the inside and out... But it's useful enough to be impervious for a moment. He even called this the 'First Seal' as he said it to himself... That means this is level one I've learned and I ain't going through levels 2 and 3 to find out!_ , she continued with a hint of fear of the consequences.

"I know. I'm sorry, Wendy, Carla. That is why I prefer to use these particles for defensive purposes only. To avoid attacks by physical or Magical means that would have fatally killed me. And as for the Magic Council, I wouldn't worry about those senile old farts who won't let the younger generation reach their full potential because of their 'adult' fear and paranoia of being upstaged by youngsters. I got plenty of Magics that 'distinguishes light and dark from each other'. _Not..._ ", the orange-haired woman said with a wink of her blue eye that reassured her friends a little. _Perhaps with Hermes Trismegistus, I could properly control the Magic Barrier Particle body without completely breaking apart... theoretically. A bit too risky to pull an experiment off just to find out. Maybe some another time._ , she thought.

Calling out to the two, she said. "Hey, Wendy, Carla. Once Second Breakfast is over, we're down south for restocking and replenishing of supplies. We may also to get to see some sign of civilization too as well. Heard there's another festival happening so we better not be left out and sell these fireworks for more money."

That they all agreed on together and they needed to leave camp behind but suddenly the female Exceed had series of visions appearing in her head through her another Precognition:

 _Mages of a Legal Guild, local guards and anyone who can actually fight are struggling to hold back hordes of formidable skeletons threatening the town and its people..._

 _Dark Mages draped in black clothing summoning undead creatures from the graves they desecrated with their powers of darkness and necromancy with its leader of an apparent strong build for his old age wielding a staff and a glowing orb grinning darkly..._

 _And finally a scantily-clad armored blonde woman with sadistically twisted cat smile who was standing there casually like no big deal before running in a flash of speed and aiming for Carla's eyes in her point of view with her stilettos!_

Gasping heavily and reeling back from the visions she had saw, Carla was whimpering in her eyes as if she was being struck right there which alarmed her human companions by her sudden reaction out of the blue.

"Carla! What's wrong? What happened?", Wendy asked in concern for her.

"I-I saw in my visions... Wizards battle skeletons and apparently losing, some necromancers summoning the dead and... and some cruel woman with some perverted cat smile going for the kill. I almost could have sworn she was aiming right at me! At. My. Eyes!", Carla frantically panicked which the Sky Dragon Slayer hugged her Exceed friend in reassurance that she's with friends now.

"Well, that can't be good. You really need some training to better control your visions, Carla.", the Wicked Witch said exasperatedly. _Wait, Precognition allows her to see some bits and pieces of the future she told me about. They could be easily misinterpreted if one didn't figure out what the visions are trying to tell them so it must be a broken Magic... Whatever it is, we'd better be ready._

After they finished their Second Breakfast and Carla calming down with another cup of tea, the group had finished packing their things into the cart, safely dosed the campfire to prevent potential forest fire and continued on the road, riding the horse-driven vehicle by Valeria's driving as they are heading their way down south to nearby town called Restize Village not far away from Oshibana Town.

"Hey, I think our little group needs a new name as Independent wizards. Something that distinguishes us from Legal Guilds, until you finished training of course and return to Cait Shelter as its first S-Class wizard, just like some private military contractors around the continent I've heard about. Perhaps we should call ourselves _Valeria_ _and_ _Company_. It suits me very well. Hehehehe.", the orange-haired young woman smugly suggested which earned a mild scoff of amusement and roll of her eyes by Carla.

"What? It does suits the name.", she defended her claim.

"It only suits your vanity Valeria.", the white Exceed shot back which made her human companion pout.

The Sky Dragon Slayer made another suggestion that was met with approval, "Well, how about the _Fellowship_ _of_ _the Cat_? That does have a nice ring to it."

"Oho! I like it, Wendy! Nice reference! From now on, we're the Fellowship of the Cat! Fufufufufufu!", Val gave a thumbs up.

"Seriously, Wendy and Valeria! What the heck am I, some kind of animal mascot?! As a proud woman, this is highly undignified for me to be objectified and I highly resent that! Humph!", the female Exceed fumed in cute outrage of being objectified that earned some hearty laughs for the Sky Dragon Slayer and the Wandering Wizard at her expense.

Deciding to tell a story while on the road to Restize Village, the Wandering Wizard told them about she had read the archives about a certain intercontinental Guild from Ishgar at some point in Alvarez, "Enough Lord of the Rings puns for now girls. Let me tell you a story about a certain Guild with noble aims of putting an end to the Guild Wars, protecting humanity from every kind of dangerous threats and striving for peace and justice in the world. It's even famous long before Fairy Tail have appeared a century ago."

"Quite an interesting story... You sound as if you looked up to them in your childhood.", Carla noted with a hint of interest.

"I agree, Carla. So, Val... What's the name of that Guild?...", the young girl asked with growing interest too as well.

"Its name is Overwatch... They're quite a league of legends I would say about them. In fact their name was well-known all throughout the corners of Earth Land that even Dark Guilds respected and feared them greatly at the same time.", Valeria replied as she then began telling the story of such legendary Guild filled with many skilled, renowned and amazingly talented Mages, fighters, scientists, doctors, etc. from all over the continent that formed the ultimate organization of peacekeepers to help bring peace and unity, and protect the world from threats.

 _Made from the best of the best Ishgar can offer and are the closest ideal of a unified continent standing together as one... if only that goddamned Magic Council hadn't disbanded them. Alvarez would have a really hard time against them had they been around during the unsanctioned invasion 10 years ago..._ , she thought.

However, little did they know that the now-christened Fellowship of the Cat would soon get involved very soon as darkness slowly descends upon the land of Fiore with black clouds covering the sun as the ravens flew past them which bring bad news to anyone seeing them: "Dark wings, dark words...".

* * *

 _At the town of Clover, in the Guild Master Conference Building_

In the town of Clover situated just beyond the canyon, there is a large mansion-type building situated nearby where the Guild Masters' Conference is being held with all attending Guild Masters from every Guild of the Kingdom of Fiore are gathered there for a group social interaction as they eat, drink and talk to each other with trivial matters and conversations of their respective Guilds.

Legal Guilds are those guilds which are recognized by the Magic Council and most have strong connections to multiple other legal guilds. Guild Masters form a body called the Local Guild Master League and they meet for various purposes. There is currently more than one league in Fiore and one of them happened at Clover.

"I'm jealous Macky. Your wizards are so full of life and they're such cutie-pies.", a large bald man stated passionately about the members of Fairy Tail. He was wearing a makeup on his face, and a hot pink tanktop and purple and pink striped pants with angel wings.

This is Bob, Master of the Blue Pegasus Guild. Make no mistake in case you are wondering, he is a man.

"I hear you've got a new girl quite the spanking and also another girl who didn't join your guild... That sweet Valeria Autumn...", Bob wondered as he was very aware of the rumor drifted from guild to guild about a powerful Mage known as the Wandering Wizard and later the Wicked Witch of the West that has debuted in Fiore recently and has somewhat proven to be a force to be reckoned with despite her carefree and humble yet enigmatic nature.

It was mainly about Valeria Autumn and her actions as an Independent Mage, making a lot of people think that she'll become one of the strongest Mages in the current generation that might rock everything to the core in the country depending on the situation if she had joined the Guild.

"Oh, you must be talking about Lucy. Yes, she's our newest recruit and she got a body that won't quit. As for Valeria, Shame she didn't join Fairy Tail at the end. But I had hopes she will soon enough so I can give her the spanking she deserved!", the Fairy Tail Master stated with a perverted quip as he sipped on his ale mug.

Bob made a feigned scandalous comment of his fellow colleague's perverted nature. "Oh! So naughty!"

"I wouldn't be joking around if I were you, Makarov.", said the middle-aged man with a standard wizard hat and a studded collar, as well wearing sunglasses and a wrinkled face as he holds a shishkebab from the nearby table.

This is Goldmine, the Guild Master of Quarto Cerberus Guild whose members are known for their eccentricity of the essence of manliness, and most wear spiked collars, a reference to their guild's name.

"You Fairy Tail wizards may be spirited but you gotta admit they go overboard sometimes. Some of the Council members are worried that Fairy Tail is going to end up destroying an entire city one of these days. Can't say that I can blame them. And I believe to see the reason why the Wandering Wizard didn't join your Guild because she doesn't want to get caught up in their antics and shenanigans...", he remarked while pointing the shishkebab at Makarov.

"Nah! Let those blow-hards worry. Why do I care? They're just jealous that my wizards are hot!", the small elderly man quipped again.

A familiar tone called to Makarov, Bob, Goldmine and some of the other Guild Master who turned around, "Yeah right, my wizards are hot too as well Maky. Especially Bernicka and Reisha, my top wizards of 4th and 8th in Sorcerer Weekly!", he spoke in mock retort.

It was Shiba Flowers, the Guild Master of Hound Holy and the Sword Saint himself who has attended the Guild Master Conference at Clover Town after recovering from the ordeal that has happened with the Sunlight Scripture attacking Garage Village and Valeria Autumn saving the day. He was dressed in the same formal attire when he's not in Laminar armor.

"Oho! Shiba! Nice to see you here again at the conference.", Makarov greeted his fellow acquaintance with a hearty smile.

"Waaaah! I miss you Maky my old friend, old buddy, old pal! It's been too long since we were good looking men back in the old days! Waaah!", the Hound Holy Master cried in an overly-exaggerated manner which bewilders some witnessing it with a mild sweat-drop as he ran towards his colleague and gave a tight hug.

"Alright! Alright! Alright, Shiba! That's enough killer hugs for now! You're hugging me to death!", the Third Guild Master of Fairy Tail yelled at him for nearly killing him.

"Oh my God! Sorry about that, Maky. Guess I got a little carried away. Hehehehe.", Shiba sheepishly muttered in embarrassment.

Goldmine then spoke to the Sword Saint. "Nice to see you alive and kicking. Heard you got some trouble with the Sunlight Scripture at Garage Town Shiba."

The elderly former swordsman replied, "Yup, those Severenths were there to kill me for some stupid old grudge by those nobles of Pergrande Kingdom against me. Now those guys got prosecuted for their crimes for instigating a war with non-bailable life sentence and Seven suffered a big political backlash because of that. Seriously those damn nobles... If it weren't for Valeria and her strategy, my Guild, the entire village and myself would have been wiped out and war would have broken out between three countries as a result that not even the Magic Council could not stop it. Too bad she didn't join my Guild in the end... She would have made a wonderful Hound Holy wizard..."

 _Valeria Autumn, a strategist? Now that's something you don't see such talent everyday. Most of my children in the Guild resort to reckless destruction instead of strategic thinking... *sighs* She could have been a wonderful successor of First Master Mavis' title, the Fairy Tactician if she had joined Fairy Tail..._ , Makarov lamented in thought while stroking his chin.

"Don't feel bad Shiba my dear. We all have the same feeling here too as well. In fact, my Guild was once visited by the Wandering Wizard herself for the first batch of fireworks she sold there for the festivities at Pegasus Village. Jenny Realight had almost convinced sweet Valeria to join Blue Pegasus when they formed a somewhat odd friendship at the hot-springs... But unfortunately, my top boys Ichiya and the Trimens had scared her away that Jenny had to beat them up senseless and 'rip off their manhood and fed them to the goats' according to her. Oh well, all's fair in love and war...", the effeminate fat man said passionately which led to male and even female colleagues at the conference feel a bit disturbed, but the truth of the matter, they were beaten down by the blonde woman so bad that it takes weeks to fully recover and, yeah, they were busted in their nuts.

"Right, that young lady visited my Guild before she met your Guild full of pretty boys and girls, Bob! She was there for purchasing of materials needed for the fireworks of hers. If Iron Rock Jura were there and not on a middle of a high-ranked S-Class job, he would have made some convincing persuasion of that philosophical tongue of his to get that darn Wicked Witch of the West join Lamia Scale! Arrrhghh! I should have made her spin while I had the chance!", fumed an elderly woman with wrinkled skin, small eyes and bony hands, has stretched earlobes and has long gray hair tied up in a huge bun with three layers and wore a cloak with a collar with a dotted design and what appears to be a dark vest underneath it along with studded bracelets on both her arms and a necklace with sun emblem.

Her name is Ooba Babasaama, the Guild Master of Lamia Scale, one of the most powerful Guilds in Fiore located at the south of Fiore.

"Calm down Granny Ooba. Not everyone gets what they wanted after all. Even I didn't get the 1st prize at school in first honors back then.", a sweet female voice playfully spoke out.

A young woman in her 30s with shoulder length dirty red-colored hair and a set of silvery gray eyes. She has a curvy and strong frame with broad shoulders, and is usually seen with thin purple eyeliner. She sometimes pulls her hair up into a short ponytail, but because of its fineness doesn't hold up for long periods of time. She wore an attire consists primarily of typical pirate outfits, her most common being her black overcoat, short black skirt and thick matching leggings, along with black leather boots, a dark gray captain's hat with a white feather and a white cravet. Her belt has a golden buckle, and her outfit in outlined in a similar color. Her coat also has a skull sewn onto its left sleeve and the symbol of her Guild's symbol on its right sleeve.

She is Ariel Silvertrident, Guild Master of Mermaid Heel, an all-female Guild located at the southern coast of Fiore.

"Calm down? Calm down! How am I supposed to calm down when so shut up there young lady or I'll spin you!", the elderly woman shot back before twirling her finger in a circular fashion at the woman who doesn't seem to be fazed by being spun around and executed a perfect ballerina dance while she's at it.

Ariel nonchalantly retorted back after getting back on her feet without falling with a bit of her equilibrium unbalanced by the spinning, "You are spinning me, Granny Ooba... Ooh my head..."

"Oh nice to see you again little Ariel. I see you're still in good shape and congrats on your second child with Eric. How's that smoking hot redhead who is obviously not Erza Scarlet lately?", the Sword Saint cheerfully greeted that others shared a cheer of congratulations to her too.

"Hahaha! Thanks Old Man Shiba! Eric was happy to be a father again with maybe a son this time. Oh, you mean my sister Sarah? She made quite a fortune as a merchant out in the seas while I enjoy being here with my Guild.", the female Mermaid Heel Master said with an amused look after recovering from Ooba's spinning.

"I heard she's still a pirate wanted for arson, murder and jaywalking in Ishgar according to the wanted posters and rumors I've heard.", Makarov mused at Ariel's sister's considering her infamous reputation of The Bounty Huntress but looked down on anyone who are committed to killing those who totally deserved that for their unforgivable crimes, including Sarah, Ariel's older sister because he sees this as wrong.

"On some few certain countries, Bosco still wanted her head for regularly disrupting their slave trade routes and rings every time she appears and sees one including killing the slave masters and traders along the way. One thing she hates the most, you can't blame her for that... Even some decent pirates wouldn't go that far. And yeah she did commit double docking of her ship, the Syren, on several occasions in every port she lands. Twice... And also, there was an incident involving her shock and awe at Bilgewater that Sarah doesn't even want to talk about... Besides Makarov, you had no right to judge anyone, including my sister, of what's right and wrong in your eyes because you're no God remember. So shut your trap and go read some photospreads while you're at it. Savvy?...", Ariel said nonchalantly and then sharply at him even if he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints more stronger than her.

Makarov winced at the woman's sharp words and reluctantly backed down because she's right. He's in no position to criticize others of what they've done something bad for their own reasons that made them to do in the first place, even if it's for greater good but his strong code of moral ethics compels him to speak out against it through his mouth.

"Ouch. The girl's still got spunk like her sister... You just got told off Makarov.", Goldmine commented in amusement.

"Interesting story about your sister, my darling Ariel. So tell me anyways, did the Wandering Wizard visited your Guild per chance?", Bob asked in wonder.

She shrugged and replied, "Not exactly, she ran into Kagura Mikazuchi who joined my Guild recently and told me about her after the middle of a job in a coincidence. Little Kagura was looking for her missing brother Simon who was kidnapped by slavers for that cursed Tower of Heaven of theirs that no longer exists and was never heard from ever since. They had a little trouble concerning a large group of bandits led by a strong Dark wizard together. When it was over, Kagura offered membership to Miss Valeria but was politely refused which she understands well enough and they both part separate ways."

"I see. Well in that case, maybe I have better chances to have Valeria Autumn to join my Guild if she ever comes by sooner or later. Totally worth it.", Goldmine stated with interest and intrigued smirk.

"What, Goldmine?! You would let a woman into your all-men's guild? Getta out of town! It's like Ariel letting a man into her all-women's guild! Hahahahaha!", Makarov shouted in mock outrage and made good fun out of it, followed by the older woman's dangerous glare at him from such offense if looks can kill.

"I know what you mean Makarov but I'm sure it ain't gonna hurt to have a beautiful flower among men in Quartro Cerberus. And Mermaid Heel should appreciate a man in their ranks too as well.", the middle-aged man shrugged that earned a couple of hearty laughs from his fellow colleagues and a glare from Ariel.

"So I've noticed. Still naughty as ever in your age... Youth...", spoke a middle-aged man with tousled gray hair and thin brown eyes, and has a light complexion and sharp facial features. He wears shaded glass spectacles and a dark-green scarf with a small, purple, cross-shaped emblem on it. His outfit mainly consists of an unzipped black suit over a buttoned vest and green undershirt. He also wears black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants. He also holds his cane despite having no visible motor impairment. and a mug bearing his Guild's emblem on it which is filled with hot coffee.

His name is Shannon Ozpin, the Guild Master of Phoenix Grave, one of the Legal Guilds in Fiore located in this very town where its prominent member Mace Orlando, a famous man who ranked fifth during Sorcerer Magazine's _The Wizard I'd Like To Be My Boyfriend_ ranking in X784.

"Ohh! Ozpin!... Good to see you. How's your runts at your Guild? Still going through those academic routine like a combat school to your members I presume?...", Makarov cheerfully greeted his fellow acquaintance.

"Indeed I have, Makarov. Training and teaching new members to honing their Magic power, skills and abilities are most essential in Phoenix Grave with their true potential to be unlocked... in time once they believed themselves and their comrades and their performance on the field and missions remains professional-leveled. Education is the most important asset in any institute and organization after all. With Mace Orlando as my top student being ranked 5th in Sorcerer Weekly and all, he was the best in Phoenix Grave and has yet to undertake S-Class Wizard trials for promotion of rank. Unlike some of the members of your Guild who often made quite some... mishaps on their performance in missions while out on Jobs.", the middle-aged man replied while making a playful but subtle jab at the elderly Fairy Tail Master about his guild.

"You didn't have to pull a leg at my children, Ozpin... They're the guild's strongest wizards I am proud of them to be like a parent should be towards their children. Had them been tested well enough at Tenrou Island as proof of all that.", he grumbled.

The Phoenix Grave Master calmly quipped in response, "A guild full of orphans, outcasts and weirdos which is the strongest one in Fiore... Yes, they're your children and you're an irresponsible parent who should have curbed down their tendencies and habit that went overboard and infuriated with the Council far too many times more than I can sip on this mug. I wonder how many bills and expenses you've paid off for compensation of your members' destructive antics that'll squeeze you dry."

"Ozpin, my dear. No need to judge of what our own members are meant to be and who they are. We all have our own quirks that sets us apart. Besides thanks to connections with good ol' Yajima as a Councilor, Fairy Tail has been let off the hook through legal matters with the Magic Council with all his power.", Bob defended his old friend who thanked him in response.

"Seriously Ozpin and your wisdom and eccentricities these days. And what's with your love of caffeine anyway? Have you ever tried something else new for a change?", said with a slight huff a tall beautiful slim woman with long flowing blonde hair and green eyes. She wears a light green dress that had golden floral designs that were joined and outlined by a fine white thread with the slit over her right leg which exposed her guild mark on the exposed skin.

She is Sigrid Leafwood the Guild Master of Gramlush, one of the Legal Guilds in Fiore located in Restize Village, which is not far from Oshibana Town, where Bomb Sentense, who ranked eighth in Sorcerer Magazine's _The Wizard I'd Like To Be My Boyfriend/Girlfriend_ ranking in X784, and Elena Alteria, who ranked ninth in the same survey.

Ozpin shrugged and sipped his coffee that gave the woman a huff of annoyance from his sassy comeback, "Everyone has a hobby, Sigrid. Thank you very much. Wisdom comes with age and experience. You should try it sometime."

"Oh my, dear Sigrid! You look wonderful and stunning as always. How's your Guild?", the Blue Pegasus Master asked.

"Thanks, Bob. You're still quite eccentric despite the years passed. And about my Guild, yeah, it's fine. Gramlush was preparing a festival celebrating life and nature at Restize so I'd be expecting that Wandering Wizard to be coming around for the festivities to sell her marvelous fireworks again. Too bad I'm missing out the fun now that I'm here in the annual meeting at Clover.", she answered with a sweet smile.

Sigrid then felt worried deadpanned as she said, "I just hope Bomb Sentense wouldn't try blow up her fireworks for the hell of it and end up messing things up for the festival... Otherwise, the Wandering Wizard would be forced to join the Guild to pay back damages caused by him in the first place. That boy would make Salamander run for his money being a destructive pyromaniac tendencies. At least he knows restraint, otherwise he wouldn't be in rank 8 for Sorcerer Magazine."

"Hey! Natsu wouldn't like that and will take that as a challenge from him personally.", Makarov quipped back in a mock retort.

"Good luck with that. I doubt she would join your guild as would mine too as well considering the recent incident my excommunicated member had done.", a man with dark gray hair and long but trimmed and braided beard and has blue eyes and large build with broad shoulders. He wore light gray tight clothing that fits his muscular figure with heavy black boots.

He is Prometheus Rhodes, the Guild Master of Titan's Nose, another one of the Legal Guilds in Fiore where Nalshe Mikagura, who ranked ninth in Sorcerer Magazine's The Wizard I'd Like To Be My Girlfriend ranking in X784 and former member Bora, who is infamously known as Bora of Prominence, who was excommunicated due to aiding in thievery and the same man who was apprehended by the authorities for slave trade and trafficking to Bosco along with his gang of thugs after being defeated by Natsu Dragneel and Valeria Autumn respectively.

"Heard Bora had his shenanigans finally caught up to him after eluding the Council's watch for quite a while now, Rhodes. In fact, I did hear that one of your Fairy Tail wizards, Natsu Dragneel the Salamander, had defeated him and caught him redhanded at Hargeon am I right Makarov?", the Phoenix Grave Guild Master commented.

Makarov correctedly with a mild sweat-drop, "Er, technically Natsu just beat up Bora because he stole and used his name to lure in those group of poor girls into slavery on their ship with using Charm on them and even claimed to be a member of Fairy Tail which pissed him off, and oh rescued Lucy at the same time. Honestly, using my Guild's name had deserved Natsu's beatdown for that."

Sigrid chimed in then, "Don't forget about the Wandering Wizard, Ozpin. She was there too according to eyewitness reports from civilians and the Fiore Royal Army. They also stated she was the one who finished Bora off when he tried to hit Mr. Dragneel from behind even at his humiliating defeat."

"Damn, Bora. He dragged my Guild's name through the mud with his actions. Resorting to slaver? Has he sunk _that_ low? The world would be better off with him dead and no will miss him except his momma of course. He has always been a momma's boy but who cares about him?", he sighed with a pinch at his forehead since the rogue Mage has been a one real pain on his ass that he expelled him from the Guild.

"Careful now Prometheus. I may have no right to judge others for their actions that led them astray in their paths but that does not mean I won't condemn you for wishing someone dead just because your Guild's reputation is ruined by one person. It can be brought back but lives can't. Just like Nalshe's rank as 9th in Sorcerer Magazine, it did raise Titan's Nose even a little. And you did say his mother is the only one who loves him even he became a criminal.", Makarov cheerfully but sternly subtly reminded at the man taller than him figuratively.

Knowing better than to try pick a fight with one of the Ten Wizard Saints who could easily mop the floor on him despite his own strength, the Titan's Nose Master held his hands up in quick surrender and dropped the subject about it. "Geez, I'm sorry. It's just that Bora's one pain in the ass. I was hoping his old girlfriend Juvia would had set him straight but sadly it failed when he dumped her. All that depressing atmosphere of rain around her..."

Suddenly and out of the blue, a cold, dark and malicious aura had slowly made its way into the building that alarmed all of the occupants from the Masters of Fiore's major and minor Guilds, and some tended to the others who got sick and nauseous from such presence as descending footsteps into the building can be heard.

Entering the Guild Master Conference Hall is a tall, slim older man with long, straight, black hair reaching down to his shoulders and a thin mustache, which was given a dark reddish tone along with a long and sharp face, vaguely pointed ears, prominent eyelashes and dark-colored lips. He wears a flamboyant coat with a high collar that sported a jagged mantle and jagged lower edges, as well as intricately decorated borders and inners, featuring two prominent wings similar to a bat's, with a matching witch-like hat bearing his guild's symbol, complete with an extremely long, bent top hanging down on his left; a plain shirt which sported his Wizard Saint's medallion around the neck, with two light ribbons falling down from it, loose striped culottes paired with long socks, and a pair of pointed shoes each bearing two furry balls, one on the front and one on the back of the foot. While donning this attire, his left hand's fingers were adorned by a pair of rings, with one of them sporting a spherical gem.

His name is Jose Porla, the Guild Master of Phantom Lord, one of the strongest Guilds in Ishgar located at Oak Town north of Fiore and an arch-rival of Fairy Tail, the current strongest Guild of apparent equal power.

"Jose...", Makarov muttered the man's name as if it was forbidden not to speak of it that earned some whispers and comments from his fellow colleagues about him.

Many of them were actually surprised that he, of all people, had actually attended the Guild Master Conference at Clover Town due to an incident which happened in the year X768 during the annual meeting of the Guild Masters. After the Masters had gotten a bit drunk together, Makarov Dreyar started bragging about his guild and all of the Mages part of it. This caused the similarly drunk Jose Porla to try to compete his guild against Makarov's who retaliated back as the banter between them drags down to hot waters.

Eventually, Jose began to bad-mouth Fairy Tail, something which angered Makarov, with the both of them starting to fight. The battle ended with Makarov the victor and Jose beaten badly, resulting in Jose never again attending a regular meeting, and in the beginning of his never-ending hatred towards Fairy Tail and of his guild's rivalry with it.

Until now, the Guild Master of Phantom Lord had apparently attended the regular meeting at last and it was certainly unexpected.

Looking around the Masters of Fiore's Guilds, both old and new that he was either familiar with or none at all, Jose commented while lowering down his Magical aura after making quite an entrance. "My, my. Quite a crowd this conference had brought. Full of old men and less young people these days. I never thought Guilds will be popping that many all around the land... I must be losing my touch with Father Time himself."

"What are you doing here in the conference at Clover, Jose?... This is not like you.", the Third Guild Master Fairy Tail sharply narrowed his eye suspiciously at the older man's intentions of coming to Clover now of all times.

The witch-hat wearing man replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "Why, I'm attending the Guild Master Conference of course, Makarov. As the Master of the most powerful guild in the kingdom, I should be here to represent the strongest Guild of the country to all those attending here am I right?..."

"I thought Fairy Tail was the strongest Guild of Fiore here the last time I checked.", Shiba made a little jab which seemed to make Jose lose his temper apparently but somehow managed to calm himself down and compose dignified like nothing happened which was not left unnoticed by everyone since they are very aware that both Guilds aren't at exactly good terms with each other and traded scuffles and insults to one another in the past.

"Truth to be told, while I begrudgingly admit Fairy Tail has gotten stronger over the passing years... But Phantom Lord has multiple buildings and branches throughout the kingdom, possess unsurpassed Magic, skills and resources and have even more members than any other Guild in Fiore. That's what makes the strongest Guild of the kingdom in Ishgar.", the older Wizard Saint said.

"I seemed to recall Overwatch has branches and bases all around the continent of Ishgar, has way more powerful Magic, and the skills and resources pooled from the best and brightest too that even surpasses your own, Jose. Sounds like you are following their footsteps... and might risk some... 'complications' that befell Overwatch in the first place.", Ozpin added in about the late intercontinental Guild that is still held in high regard despite its disbandment while sipping his coffee nonchalantly.

The older man in a silly jester/sorcerer outfit commented, "True, Ozpin. Overwatch was the strongest Guild of the entire continent a century ago ever since they banded together to end the Guild Wars, deal with a crisis involving sentient machines threatening humanity or whatever lurks in the darkness and keeping the peace and order before their eventual downfall. This was due to the sudden outbreak of conflicts from powerful Dark Guilds that was blamed on that very same guild by the incompetent Magic Council who needed a scapegoat to take the fall. To add insult to injury, they have also passed the Petras Act, an apparent unlawful act prohibiting all organized missions and jobs conducted by Overwatch under the penalty of prosecution, ultimately dissolving the Guild and spreading its current members across the globe as mercenaries and freelancers, being Independent wizards and all as they can't join Legal Guilds for work under threat of being blacklisted as Dark wizards. Otherwise, they would have joined my Guild, its successor."

Everyone winced and mumbled with each other at his words because it did happened to the legendary Guild and they resented the Magic Council for that. Ever since Fairy Tail had grown into the strongest Guild infamous for its reckless destruction of property and damages, the Councilors had tried any means to disband them but due to connections with Yajima and support of Siegrain and Ultear, the Guild was spared from being disbanded like Overwatch did.

And also, due to public and intercontinental backlash over the forced disbandment of Overwatch, the Magic Council had tread on thin ice over trying to disband Fiore's #1 Guild without risking being called out for pulling a Petras on it by everyone waiting for that moment and more damages to the ruling organization of the Magic World will further weaken its trust and reputation even more.

The short elderly man retorted back with a look that he's not amused one bit, "They will never join your Guild, Jose. Members of Overwatch, regardless if their Guild is disbanded in disgrace, fight for noble causes if I recall as this was their purpose in the past and Phantom Lord's agenda is not one of them. They'd rather get prosecuted by the Magic Council than join you or any other Dark Guild that wants their services for darker purposes."

"Oh they will, Makarov. I will prove to everyone in Fiore and the rest of Ishgar that Phantom Lord is the strongest above all Guilds including yours and will even surpass the legendary Overwatch!", Jose gave a prideful smirk which causes Makarov's veins to bulge in his forehead and worries the other Guild Masters that this will end up in a fight again six years ago.

But then Bob came between them by popping out in the middle and somewhat uneased the growing tensions. "Oh it's good for you Jose to show up again and expressed your feelings openly instead of bottling them up which is bad for your health. It has been too long since you last attended. I do hope it won't end up a disaster again when you and Maky gotten drunk and fought one another over such trivial issue the last time it happened."

"Hmm... You're right. Sure thing, Bob. I apologize for my recent behavior. It's just that... Phantom Lord was my pride and joy and I had the right to be proud of making it the best... Since I am here at the conference, I just hope we can bury the hatchet between us and forgive and forget, don't you agree, Makarov?", the Phantom Lord Guild Master said with an obviously fake friendly smile while being truthful about his love for his Guild he built up.

Stroking on his chin, the small elderly man seemed to agree but secretly decided to keep a close eye on Jose in case he did something questionable, "Perhaps it's for the best. So long we get along again, I wouldn't let you hold this against my children. You scratch my back Jose and I scratch yours. Deal?"

"Sounds fair to me, Makarov. Perhaps this will be a _wonderful_ reconciliation and friendship between our Guilds and put an end to this petty rivalry once and for all." Jose said that earned some approval from several Guild Masters when both leaders of two strongest seemingly gave a short but strong handshake, but this was just an act, that looked like they're about to overpower each other before they let go without incident.

He then continued as he took the chalice for a drink from a nearby table, "Now that we got along with each other together again, I've heard that we have a common subject together everyone, involving the Wicked Witch of the West those oh-so-holy Severenths called her. Such a shame really for you. At first I thought she had joined your Guild like all the other wizards flocking to you but she didn't. That warms my heart a little..."

"She may not have joined Fairy Tail on that day of arrival but I am no position to force her so I let Valeria make her own decisions. It's not like she will join you either, Jose. We all know of her reputation as an Independent wizard who doesn't join Guilds and wander everywhere she goes.", the elderly Wizard Saint mildly shot back but in his thought. _Unless your name is Erza... She takes_ no _for an answer. God bless Valeria's soul if she meets her._

"Needless to say, I assume your Guild had encountered her during her travels and tried to recruit her, correct?...", Ariel said with her eyebrows raised as she always kept wary of him for good reasons.

"Why yes my dear. In one of my divisions located at the northern frontiers, not all with that blasted snow mind you, she came by in town to pick up supplies for purchase for the journey as befitting her first title. One of my men approached her after recognizes who she was and invited that young girl to join my Guild. But just the rest of you guys, she refused but we left in normally cool terms. That's all.", Jose replied but in his bitter thoughts. _And because of her, she defeated that northern division of Phantom Lord in_ _retaliation of that idiot threatening her with bodily harm if she did not join them. That incident was covered up with the damages she paid for the town, not the division itself. It was considered very humiliating for my northern division to be beaten by an Independent wizard?! *grits teeth angrily* She would have been a useful pawn against Fairy Tail but for now, just keep a low profile and enjoy the conference filled with pathetic buffoons and weaklings._

"Yup, we really do have something in common after all, Jose. Neither of us could not get Valeria Autumn into our Guilds. Hahahahahaha!", Goldmine mused that most Guild Masters cheered and laughed together which is true.

"Although something bugs me about Miss Autumn though...", Phoenix Grave Guild Master wondered out loud that slowly died out the hearty laughter from the others who had heard him.

"Oh what do you mean by that, Ozpin?", Bob asked.

Sipping on his coffee mug, the middle-aged man explained. "I may not have meet her in person at my Guild yet but I was somewhat fairly impressed of the Wandering Wizard being independent for her age. Independent wizards didn't last that long on their own and would eventually join Guilds for a more stable income and legally recognized as a wizard of a Guild or most preferably join Dark Guilds and become criminals for an easy money. Thank God, she hadn't joined a Dark Guild. Yet..."

Prometheus added in, "Same goes for my Guild as well, I've never met her in person but Nalshe informed me that Miss Valeria has been a freelancer for two months when she saw her taking a bounty reward nearby and overheard about it. Any newbie wizards would join Guilds of their choosing but she didn't. All she does is collecting bounties of taking down Dark Guilds, bandit groups and any other kind of jobs. Selling fireworks she homemade by herself from town to town would probably not be enough to keep her income afloat."

"Humph. It's not like she's gonna sell her body to do something like that. She usually traded in goods with towns too to keep herself a bit financially stable and invested in them well enough to do so.", Ariel snorted.

"And what about her strength? She rarely showed her true level to discern and yet her Magic Power is that of S-Class level as Makarov told me about it before the conference.", Goldmine stated as he glanced at the elderly Sword Saint himself. "Since Shiba was there, he must have witnessed Valeria's power in her fight the Sunlight Scripture."

Shiba stroked his long beard and said, "Guess so. Although technically I wasn't there in that battle because I went unconscious from my wounds and exhaustion but I did hear Miss Valeria had mastery over Elemental Magics at her disposal and several more such as Teleportation for example. Some of the Severenths being taken away by the Rune Knights were ranting crazy about it. They even muttered about her saying 'You Shall Not Pass!' that's been ringing in their ears just like that."

The Guild Masters laughed at the Sword Saint's exaggerated replay of Gandalf the Grey's iconic line and body expression just for fun which even Jose is a bit amused.

"It does sound like she took a page out from Tolkien's writings. Especially that look from its iconic wizard in the book. Only a female version of him though albeit a little different from her fashion sense.", Sigrid commented.

"With such power, she could have been a powerful member of any Guild with S-Class rank already. All of us have promising offers that Miss Valeria should have accepted but no, she steadfastly refused and became a traveling freelancer instead. It sounds as if she's actively avoiding us. First one was Fairy Tail if Makarov confirms it. Either that, she's antisocial and not the type of being around with people just like Porlyusica or had something to hide which she fears endangering anyone with whatever past or some of big secret she had.", Ozpin finished that his colleagues murmur to each other about it.

 _I never would have thought her reputation would that infamous considering she is, after all, the Wandering Wizard. But something doesn't add up at all as Ozpin would say. Valeria's refusal to join Fairy Tail and soon many other Guilds even Jose's too as well later. It sounded like a weak excuse when she explained her reasons that we're too rowdy and undisciplined for her standards but there's more than just that... Almost all Guilds are kind of rowdy and undisciplined in their own way especially Phantom Lord when they're not being hostile to my children. Was she from a military before and what the heck is she exactly?... Wait a minute... Could she be... a former member of Overwatch?... Maybe not... Just a theory, no need to jump to false conclusion and find out the truth._ , the Fairy Tail Guild Master wondered in his thoughts and looking through the window of the slowly darkening sky.

Ariel decided to put an end to the discussion about the Wandering Wizard, "Whatever her reasons or any sob sympathy-worthy story of her past she may have, we are in no position to question them. Miss Valeria made her choice, so all of us must respect her decision. And when the time comes to a Guild eventually if it ever happens, Miss Valeria will have to make a choice in joining any of us."

"Aye", all Guild Masters in the conference hall agreed, unknowingly stole Happy's trademark catchphrase.

"Master Makarov, Master Makarov. Incoming letter from Miss Mirajane.", said a small blue bird wearing a wizard hat carrying a letter with a golden seal of the fairy Tail guild on it as it flew across the room to the small old man and dropped the letter into his hand.

"Thank you.", Makarov said to the little bird flying off back to the Fairy Tail guildhall and then drew a circle around the golden seal on the envelop, where a blue Magical seal appeared above the letter and a holographic image of Mirajane appears as the other Guild Masters gather around the table.

"Hi Master. Glad you made it to the Conference safe and sound.", the cheerful image of Mira said.

"See, this honey is our poster girl Mirajane. Ain't she a cutey? Grab some eye-candy boys!", Makarov declared as he showed the letter to the group gathered around the table for all of them to see. The others cheered and whistled at the image of the beautiful female Mage of Fairy Tail. Even Master Bob was surprised by how Mira had grown since the last time he saw her.

Goldmine remarked at the beautiful young woman from the holographic image of the letter. "That's Mirajane? I haven't seen her for a while. She's really matured."

"She sure is. Too bad she's no longer The Demon we all once knew her of. At least she compensated for something like in the Sorcerer Magazine.", Ozpin bemusedly commented with Sigrid, Ariel and Prometheus nodded in agreement while Ooba madly spun around in acknowledgement.

 _Too bad, she would have been an annoying nuisance when the time comes for Fairy Tail's reckoning by my hand. Good for me._ , Jose darkly thought at the image of the former female Fairy Tail S-Class Mage in the message held by his hated nemesis.

"Oh Master! You're not gonna believe what happened! It may be the greatest thing in the history of Fairy Tail!", the holographic Mirajane informed Makarov who has gotten curious about what happened while he was gone but never expected the news that was sent for him. "You wouldn't believe it! Erza, Natsu and Gray have all teamed up together."

The old man was stunned after hearing Mira's words as she continued, "An amazing combination huh? In fact, they may have formed the strongest team Fairy Tail has ever seen! Sorry to bother you. I thought I'd send you a letter to tell you how exciting it is. See you soon Master!" Then the letter ended with the hologram disappearing from sight.

"Not those three...", Makarov muttered in complete horror as he collapsed on top of the table with the other Guild Masters still gathered around, murmuring about the recent news they've heard from the bar maid of the Fairy Tail guild. The elderly Guild Master of Fairy Tail was utterly speechless by this information, concerning about Erza, Natsu and Gray could easily destroy half of the town or even all of it even a city too as well.

"Something tells me the Council has a good reason to be afraid now.", Goldmine groaned after seeing his old friend in his current state while the Masters of Hound Holy, Phoenix Grave, Gramlush, Blue Pegasus, Titan's Nose, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale and all other Guilds gathered together muttered, "Aye" in a deadpanned agreement together.

"Yes, yes they have now. Poor, poor Makarov and his aging heart.", Jose smirked in dark amusement and finds this even more fun to see the old man having a seizure-like shock of his own "children's" potential disaster making scenario together as a team than trying to destroy Fairy Tail to prove Phantom Lord's superiority... for now.

 _I can't believe this is happening! Those three could really destroy an entire city! They are dangerous on their own, but altogether... Founder Mavis, I don't even wanna think about the damage they could do! The Conference ends today so I can be back in Fairy Tail by tomorrow afternoon. Oh please oh please don't let anything crazy happened before I get back. I beg of you please! Please don't let it happen!_ , Makarov cried mentally as various scenarios of disaster ran through his head.

* * *

 _On route to Onibus Station by train_

Within the moving train powered by Lacrima and steampunk power and among the passengers both Mage and regular, there is a certain group of Mages from the Fairy Tail Guild. Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia, Happy, and finally Erza Scarlet who are on a mission to stop the great evil that is threatening the peace and society of Fiore.

This had happened when the strongest woman of the guild had arrived back at Magnolia after completing the Job of subduing a large monster with its horn as its decorated horn as its souvenir, and also noticed Valeria Autumn on the far distance of the road along the way on the other side, before she requests Natsu and Gray's participation on her personal mission for the Guild's honor and nobility.

Of course that shocked everyone of the recent development which even Mirajane noticed that this would make the three, the strongest team of Fairy Tail. As for Lucy, she just came along because the barmaid requested her to keep an eye on the two boys who continuously bickering and fighting each other at the idea of teaming up together just when Titania showed up.

While Gray was reluctant to assist but had no choice in the matter anyway and do what he can to help, Natsu saw this as a wonderful opportunity to challenge Erza to a one-on-one battle royale when they get back after the whole event is over. The redheaded woman accepted and the pinkette was "all fired up now" with flames of aura exploding around his body.

After boarding on the train and leaving Magnolia, the Fairy Tail group were seated in a booth fit for 4 people and they're in a comfortable position,... except for Natsu of course who got motion sick again as he looked like he ate something really awful down to his stomach and is struggling to vomit it out of his throat.

"I swear, you're totally pathetic Natsu. One minute, you're picking a fight and then the next you're like this.", the black-haired teen dryly commented while looking through the window of the booth, sitting beside Happy and Natsu.

"It's gotta be really tough on him from getting place to place.", Lucy commented, sitting next to Erza.

Erza folded her arms and assured them with the short raise of her shoulders. "Don't worry. He'll be fine. I've got an idea. Lucy, would you kindly switch places with Natsu for a moment?"

The blonde nodded immediately by the veteran Fairy Tail Mage's request and quickly swapped places with the pinkette as the redhead put a hand on Natsu's shoulder as if bracing him at her side.

"Now just relax...", she asked while raising her clenched arm gauntlet ready to strike down on the weakened Dragon himself.

"Aye...", Natsu weakly replied before receiving a punch in the stomach with extreme force by Erza which really knocked him out much to Lucy and Gray's surprise as they backed up a bit in their chairs and gave a sweat-dropped look when the redhead claimed that will make the trip a little easier on him as she set the unconscious but quiet Natsu on her lap.

 _Okay I was wrong. Maybe she's not as sane as I think she was..._ , Lucy thought deadpanned as her first impression of the Armored Mage is somewhat corrupted because she believed her to be the straight person who doesn't tolerate rowdy and reckless behavior around aside from Valeria Autumn.

Gray spoke up after shrugging off the sweat-dropped look. "Erza, I think it's about time, you start filling us in. I mean what kind of mission are we going on here?"

"Of course. I have reason to believe the Dark Guild Eisenwald was planning something big. I'm not sure what exactly but it has something to do with the Magic Item called Lullaby.", the scarlet knight explained.

"Lullaby?", Happy and Gray wondered together of that name.

"Wait. That thing from before?", Lucy wondered that got Erza's attention as the latter asked what they know about it which the former did, explaining the encounter with a group of unknown Mages trying to kidnap Happy and eat him for lunch, and one of them mentioned that name before they disappeared by an unknown individual with Gray helping in the explanation as well.

Erza nodded after hearing their story. "I see. So you've run into the Eisenwald Guild before."

"Well, I'm not positive they were part of Eisenwald but they did mentioned Lullaby before.", Gray stated.

"It sounds like they were members who dropped out of the guild and had gone into hiding. Perhaps they wanted no part of whatever it is that's coming.", the armored girl speculated.

"So this thing is so bad that it even scares Dark wizards?", the black-haired teen wondered.

"I'm only hypothesizing. But whoever you saw dragging off Happy's kidnappers that day must have been from Eisenwald. It's obvious that they didn't want their plans getting out.", Erza said.

"What do you think they're gonna try?", Lucy asked.

The Armor Mage then explained just the other day when she was heading home after completing the Job, she took a brief stop at the pub to eat a meal and drink, a gathering spot for local wizards at Onibus where she overheard a conversation of four men discussing about Lullaby and its hidden location they managed to find including its seal which one of them assured them and tell their boss, Erigor that he will have it unsealed for three days while they proceed on carrying out the plans with a benefactor that even she doesn't know of.

"Lullaby? That's like the kind of song we used to sing kids to sleep.", Lucy asked in wonder.

"Yes, and the fact that it has been sealed away means it must be a powerful Magic.", Erza nodded.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "You sure the guys you saw at the pub are with Eisenwald?"

"Yes. I can't believe I was such a fool that day.", the armored Mage said before continuing with a serious glint in her eyes. "I didn't recognize his name. Erigor, the Ace of Eisenwald. He only accepts Assassination Requests which is why he earned the name 'Erigor the Reaper'."

Lucy gave a serious look in hint of disgust and outrage. "You mean... he kills for money?!"

Erza nodded again and continued. "Yes. When the Magic Council outlawed Assassination Requests, Eisenwald continued as though nothing has changed as they decided that money was more important than the Council's laws. As a result, they were kicked out of the Guild League and were ordered to disband six years ago but it didn't stop them. They disobeyed orders and remained active to this day in the shadows."

 _Eisenwald huh? These bastards take lives for the sake of profit. That sickens me! Even I won't resort to that cruel Job to earn money for my next week's rent. I bet even Val wouldn't do that as a freelancer hopefully. Sure she takes out bandits and Dark Guilds for a living on the road but she doesn't kill!_ , Lucy mentally said in a tone of upset about the Dark Guild.

Hitting Natsu unintentionally by her fist slamming into his skull, Erza gritted in anger. "How could have I been so careless? If only I had recognized Erigor's name that day, I could have pulverized them! I could have forced them to reveal their scheme to me!"

"So if I got this; Eisenwald is planning to do something with this Lullaby and you wanted to stop them. Because after what you overheard, you're sure that it's gonna be something bad.", Gray rationalized the meaning behind the revelations revealed by his fellow Fairy Tail guildmate.

The armored Mage nodded in agreement and said, "That's correct. And I'm not foolish enough to believe that I can take on an entire Magical guild all by myself. That's why I asked you and Natsu for your help. We're storming the Eisenwald Guild."

"Sounds like fun to me.", the teen smirked in anticipation with Happy chiming in, "Aye!"

"Looks like I'm gonna be the support fighter of the team then. You can count me in!", Lucy grinned but felt quite really nervous of the dangerous nature of this mission that had required three strongest Mages of Fairy Tail that she got herself involved in.

Unknowingly, while the Fairy Tail knew of Eisenwald and their typical evil intentions but little or none did they ever know about Clementine Quinta formerly of the Black Scripture from Seven and now affiliated with the same Dark Guild along with Zuranon getting involved she had brought with them which would means bad news in Fiore if that wasn't enough.

Buying a tray of sandwiches and strawberry cake including fish and a carrot from a passing by cart of snacks for the passengers on the train, the group of Fairy Tail Mages enjoyed their little snack on the train sans Natsu who still remained unconscious unfortunately and quiet at Erza's lap before the blonde female Mage brought up a topic of Magic.

"If I don't mind, what kind of Magic do you practice Erza?", she asked, chewing a sandwich in her hand thereafter.

"That's a good question.", the redhead warmly smiled.

"Erza's Magic is really pretty. She makes her enemies bleed all over the place! A lot.", the talking cat commented while eating fish.

Lucy gave a deadpanned look after hearing Happy's answer. "I don't know if you call that pretty..."

"My Magic isn't really that special. Personally I think Gray's Magic is much more beautiful than mine.", Erza shrugged it off while eating a piece of strawberry cake.

At this, Gray raised an eyebrow and raised his hands before him, closing one into a fist after outstretching it. "You think so? You mean like this?" Then a silvery white Magic circle appeared in front of the Ice Mage with ice steam rush between his fingers and a perfectly sculpted figurine of the Fairy Tail guild symbol made completely of ice and looked like glass at first glance had appeared on his palm when he opened it.

"Oh wow.", Lucy breathed in awe and entranced of the beautiful object that lay in the teen's palm.

"I use Ice-Make Magic.", Gray huffed before making the symbol disappear on his palm after closing his fist again.

The blonde gave a mischievous look on her face upon realizing something more about the rivalry between Natsu and Gray. "Ah! Now I understand why you and Natsu don't get along well. He's fire and you're ice! Talk about not mixing very well."

Erza gave her own smirk, crossing her arms. "I never thought about that."

"Nah, I just hate his guts.", the Ice-Make Mage simply said.

So then the armored Mage turned to Lucy. "So then, while we're on a topic of using Magic, what kind of Magic do you use specifically?"

The blonde Mage shifted slightly in her seat, though feeling a bit nervous as she said, "W-well, uh... I'm a Celestial Wizard."

"Yes, fairly self-explanatory...", Erza said before eyeing on Lucy's keys as she stated while crossing her arms and smiling. "Three Golden Gate Keys... Powerful ones. Wow... Most Celestial Wizards don't even see one for their entire lives. You must have some luck indeed, Lucy."

 _I wasn't called Lucky Lucy for nothing... though some for the wrong reasons._ , Lucy thought about her luck during her time in her old home before she ran away to join Fairy Tail while looking abashed of Erza's compliment. _Val was my first friend even when she's not a member of Fairy Tail who treated me of who I truly was and I appreciate that._

"Hey Lucy, how was she lately?", Happy asked while eating some fish.

"You mean Val, Happy? We still remained in good touch and last time I heard of her after the skirmish with the Sunlight Scripture at Garage Village, she was heading down west after exploring Waas Forest lately the last time I contacted her.", Lucy answered with a little wink in the eye.

"Val? Wait you mean as in Valeria Autumn?", Erza asked as she was piqued with sudden interest and deducted the nickname of the female Alvarez Mage.

The blonde woman replied back to her, "Uh yeah, Erza. That's her. Val is her nickname she preferred herself for short. You know the Wandering Wizard and later the Wicked Witch of the West. Both titles for one person, just like that."

The redhead noted, "I am aware of her titles, Lucy. She was known for traveling from place to place around Fiore as a freelancer wizard and also for her involvement of stopping the Sunlight Scripture of Seven from wiping out Garage Village and Hound Holy that the Severenths had called her the secondary title with a fearsome ring into it. In fact I saw her on the road on my back to Magnolia before that incident happened."

Her fellow guildmates were surprised that she had actually encountered the former Magic King's apprentice on the road back to Magnolia.

"You saw, Val?", the female Fairy Tail Mage with blond hair asked for confirmation.

Nodding, the redhead answered. "Yes, I did saw the Wandering Wizard driving a cart onward to Garage Village on the way home and I could've sworn she was smoking a pipe. Doesn't she know smoking is bad for a woman's health like her? I would bet on my life that Wakaba is the one influencing her into his usual habit! This will not go unpunished! Note to self: Beat every inch of his life once we return back to the Guild after we deal with Eisenwald."

The three sweat-dropped at Erza's opinions about the orange-haired woman the wrong way and felt sorry for the pompadour-haired man who suddenly felt the chill down on his spine at the Guildhall and had his last drink with Macao in his seemingly final moments on Earth Land together.

"Uhh, E-erza, that smoke piping was Val's trend like a stereotypical wizard from the classics. Everyone has a gimmick now of their own as I've noticed in Fairy Tail for the first time.", Lucy tried to speak out for Valeria but was overshadowed and ignored by the redhead. _Best not tell her about this communication earring Val gave me. This will be a pain in the neck if Erza uses it to contact her and 'persuade' her to join Fairy Tail. She made her choice and I respect that._ , she thought in deadpanned tone.

"An-and her clothing is so... so old fashioned! Why does she even wear such raggedly robes that hides her true beauty that should be shown and appreciated by all through Sorcerer Magazine and common sight?! She even rejects free clothing from such generous people who gave them to her! How could she?! Does she have no respect for fashion at all?!... Very well, then, the moment she joins Fairy Tail with me, I will make her appreciate fashion and Mira will help me do so.", Titania growled as her dark aura surrounded her body that panicked Gray, Lucy and Happy of her overly-exaggerated trivial reaction and realized she wasn't even paying attention at all.

"T-that's her trend too Erza... She prefer to follow tradition of wizardry robes where she came from that's been a part of her life already.", Lucy tried to defend Val's choice of fashion but was ignored again by the redhead woman whose head was filled with many cute and sexy outfits worn by Val in her imagination for her apparent would-be future member of Fairy Tail.

"Well in that case, I will ensure fashion will be a part of her life soon enough once she joins the Guild.", Erza declared with full of determination.

"She ain't gonna stop talking about forcing Val to wear modern fashion clothes if she were to be a member of Fairy Tail anytime soon huh?... This is gonna be a one heck of a catfight if it happens when they meet eventually.", the blonde deadpanned asked Gray and Happy who simply nodded in response with the same manner

Deciding to change the subject about clothing right now, the spiky raven-haired teen spoke. "And speaking of Magic, does anyone guess what's Valeria's Magic lately? Got me curious lately. I mean some guys say she wields fire, others claimed she slammed her staff with a blinding shockwave of light and the rest stated any kind of Magic she uses."

The blue Exceed replied back to him, "Aye! From what Lucy and I saw and heard of her in action, Valeria used Elemental Magics of fire, water, air, wind and even light against Bora, the Vulcan at Mt. Hakobe and the Sunlight Scripture from Seven. So yeah Gray, she can use multiple Magics at her whim."

The Armored Mage nodded in acknowledgement, "So I see, they are true... I've heard rumors she controlled several Magics all at once but I didn't believe it at first because such feat is impossible however your eyewitness testimony confirms them. She must be a truly talented wizard to learn that many Magics for her age. An amazing prodigy I believe."

"No kidding, not even Gramps can do that. He has several powerful Magics on his own but usually uses Light and Titan Magics all the time. About Valeria being on the biggest headline in the newspaper featuring herself beating those Sunlight Scripture jerks all by herself. Even her face was kinda scary... But not as scary as yours Erza. It still is...", Gray commented and defended himself at the same time when the redhead glared darkly at him for the perceived insult she sees.

"Aye! She must be super strong to take down one of the most powerful scriptures from Seven!", Happy raised his paw in agreement.

"Technically no, Happy. According to the rumors and stories I have managed to piece together, Valeria Autumn advised Hound Holy a plan of a three-way assault with a hit-and-run and pincer maneuver formation, which makes her a strategist, against the Sunlight Scripture in order to weaken their strength and numbers. It worked and then that is where she came in after taking the exhausted and battered Guild away to safety and finished the job all by herself. End of story that ended up in the newspaper headline.", Titania complimented after making a deduction.

"Whoa. That's one heck of a deduction, Sherlock. Uh, no offense. Just referring you to the guy with great detective skills I read in the book Levy gave to me to kill off some time off.", the Ice-Make Mage said when the redhead glared at him for the insult she perceived.

"Aye! Elementary to you, my dear Watson! That's Erza for ya!", the blue Exceed complimented.

"Oh wow. I never knew Val could do that. Coming up with a strategy like that to take down one of the strongest scriptures from the Holy Empire of Seven. Then again, she's more of a distance fighter than melee unlike the rest of the Guild. Just like me... Ehehehe...", the Celestial Spirit Mage spoke awkwardly.

"A sound strategy I admit. Valeria Autumn must be a very strong wizard who only not uses her strengths but also her mind. She would be a great member of Fairy Tail if I could convince her to join once we eventually meet someday. It's a wonderful opportunity she could not refuse! And she will wear more fashionable outfits to enhance and suit her image more. Nobody says 'no' and gets away with it on my watch!", Erza said with brown eyes sparkling in anticipation that somehow worries Lucy, Gray, Happy and even the nauseous Natsu because Val had already visited the Guild before and did not join in the end.

Plus, it didn't even help that much to the fact, Titania would forcefully shove down the concept of sexy modern fashion sense through the poor girl's throat in her intention to make her join Fairy Tail.

 _This is not good. Not good at all. Nice knowing you Valeria... Because Erza is coming for you... Hope you have an escape plan for this contingency scenario if you're a strategist..._ , they all lamented in their thoughts at the redheaded woman still lost in thought of imagining the orange-haired woman in a fur-cloaked bikini and a wizard's hat and her in a tight sleeveless dress showing off her curves and figure pretty well.

Suddenly on the road when the Fellowship of the Cat were riding on the cart, Val sneezed cute and then felt a sudden chill down on her spine while in the midst of telling a story about Overwatch to Wendy and Carla who felt concerned for her health which she claimed that she was fine before resuming where they left off and drove their way to Restize Village...

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay dokey then, the fifth chapter of "Path of a Wizard from Alvarez" is done and the next chapter will come soon enough. It appears Team Natsu is on the move against Eisenwald to stop their (typical) evil plans to murder the Guild Masters and yet unknowingly Clementine and Zuranon who may be on a different which the Wandering Wizard and her companions of a Sky Dragon Slayer and her Exceed companions that formed the Fellowship of the Cat will end up getting involved in this crisis soon enough.**

 **There's some little foreshadowing if you can guess of what I mean. ;) Even there are some references and expys you might notice too as well. Seeing there are some Legal Guilds mentioned and are actually canon including those that haven't been fully expanded: Phoenix Grave, Gramlush, and Titan's Nose along with Mermaid Heel's Guild Master, I feel like they should be expanded and explored for this story to happen with OCs of course and I'm still open to SYOC submissions for such members to fill in. Take Thaqif for example. Plain and simple.**

 **Recent changes and reveals from the FT canon compelled me to add some edits and retcons along with going with the flow so long it fits well enough. In fact, I'm a little disappointed on how Mashima ruined the Alvarez Empire arc with the Spriggan 12's pathetic performance he has written for the main cast to beat them with BS** **Deus ex Machina and Nakama Pawa** **unless August and Irene Belserion redeems the hype by their immeasurable power they were said to have. But hey, that's what fanfiction is for. :D**

 **As for the cover photo of Valeria Autumn as you might probably notice, credits goes to my sister with her Deviantart account, Rescue235. She's wonderful artist with great potential in the future and oh she's the Assholeoftheyear.**

 **Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review.** **Constructive criticisms, suggestions, advice and ideas are always welcome here and as for flames and insults, THEY SHALL NOT PASS!**


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